Digital Pavements NYC

Pavements and curbsides are just of the most vibrant exciting places in the city, they are also some of the most versatile spaces in a city. They change with the times, adapting to the city’s needs. This affordability was on display during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which pavements were heavily used as active public spaces to socialise and conduct business. To help re-imagine what curbs and pavements can look like, multiple spaces around the city will be digitally captured and be used to digitally sketch out ideas and concepts.

Social Pavements

by Salil Parekh

Social Pavements explores the idea of making the pavements more like our homes. Just as we'd like to have our homes be welcoming and comfortable, pavements too should be nice places to spend time in.

So why not place furniture on the pavements to create small meeting spaces? We walk far too quickly in the city as it is to notice our surroundings. It would do us good to slow down once in a while and 'see' our city for once.

Sidewalk Sculptures

by Salil Parekh

Sidewalks are used everyday to get to places, so why not bring places to the sidewalks? This concept looks to bring art to the pavements. Inspired by the BMW art cars, the intent is to make the spaces we walk through a more interesting, and thought provoking place.

Nature Pavements

by Cecile Roca

Of the many things that New York can have more of, nature is one of them. We can never have too many plants or water bodies. This concept looks to create sidewalks with lots of plants, trees and water bodies. It is difficult to find hygienic sources of clean drinking water in the city, and a drinking water fountain is always welcome in the city. Cecile also made an observation that the corners of the sidewalk facing an intersection are dangerous places. There have been instances of drivers losing control, sometimes with fatal consequences. She proposes shifting the pedestrian crossing inwards, leaving the street facing corners free to become spaces to install water fountains and gardens.

Dancehouse Streets

by Emilio Lari

As blessed New York is with it’s nightlife, sometimes you just need spaces to party impromptu, or just live in the moment. This concept proposes the creation of small dance spaces on the streets, below streetlamps. Replete with neon lights, spotlights and speakers, these spaces will breed an active street nightlife of the city.

The 3D models were scanned using 3D Live Scanner, an ARCore powered 3D scanning app, which were then edited and augmented within Cinema4D. Read more about the process here!

See the collection of 3D models at the Sketchfab collection:

Digital Pavements NYC by burnedsap on Sketchfab

Get in touch if you'd like to get involved and contribute to this project. All resources are open-source and can be used as long as attribution is provided to the creator.

email: pares667@newschool.edu