New Arup-designed sidewalk sheds will transform New York City sidewalks

These new designs are a major improvement to the outdated and clunky green sheds that permeated city streets for decades. This action, a continuation of the successful “Get Sheds Down Initiative,” will improve the aesthetic on city streets while protecting the public from potential overhead hazards around buildings and construction sites.

The Arup team, with KNE studio, Reddymade, and CORE Scaffolding, have designed systems with an emphasis on safety and aesthetics. Each is highly flexible, with modular components that can be reused and adjusted based on the streetscape. Simultaneously, the designs will greatly improve pedestrian experience, offering better visibility and a sense of openness at sidewalk level.

“Scaffolding sheds serve an important role in protecting pedestrians from overhead construction, but they shouldn’t diminish the experience of walking through our city’s streets,” said Seth Wolfe, a Principal at Arup. “Our designs have fewer obstructions to overcome the tunnel-like feel of current sheds, bringing light and life back to New York City sidewalks.” 

New shed designs  

In February 2024, the city brought aboard leading design consulting firms Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) to help reimagine how we protect the public from hazards associated with buildings and construction sites.  

“These new shed designs are leaps and bounds above what we see on sidewalks today, and coupled with scientific evidence-based reforms of the city’s façade inspection regulations, they will help us unclog pedestrian spaces for our fellow New Yorkers,” said Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. “The Get Sheds Down plan was the first time an administration fully tackled the issue of how the second order effects of sidewalk sheds are negatively impacting our city. Now thanks to the thoughtful work of our partners at Thorton Tomasetti, Arup, PAU, along with the team here at DOB, we are seeing a path forward on initiatives that will benefit the city for years to come.”  

Working separately, the Arup and PAU teams were tasked with delivering a total of six new pedestrian protection designs that simultaneously improve the pedestrian experience, beautify the streetscape, and keep costs reasonable for building owners, all without sacrificing public safety. The firms were also charged with coming up with designs that use materials readily available to contractors to reduce barriers to adoption. The six innovative designs are a major improvement upon the current hunter green pipe-and-plywood sheds that are seen in neighborhoods across the city today, and which are the source of frequent public complaints.

Arup set out to address the longstanding concerns associated with traditional sidewalk sheds with creative design and engineering. Each of the three designs uses modular components and standard construction techniques, ensuring flexibility and scalability for building owners and contractors.