downtown 2010 framework

This workshop is a part of the Downtown 2010 - Manhattan research project, run by Downtown Alliance, Laureate International Universities and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya; it is a part of Phase 1, as in the following framework:

A major challenge that downtown New York is facing in order to continue attracting residents and businesses is to reverse the lack of vitality during the late hours of the day and the weekends.

Downtown New York is the historical financial heart of Manhattan, and its geographic characteristics provide the potential of becoming a dynamic center of life in New York City. The history behind some of the buildings, the waterfront, and the particular urban layout are some of the factors that can be intensified to reach the final goal.

The goal of Downtown 2010 is to inspire committed action towards the vision of generating a true transformation of the downtown that enriches the life of New Yorkers and the urbanism for the generations to come.

An international competition is targeted as the best way to make this vision a reality. The final results would be the creation of powerful and homogeneous vitality during all hours of the day, week and year, extracting all the potential offered by the district.

As any type of transformation in the urbanism of a city, it is required the support of the Population and Private and Public institutions. In order to reach to all of these layers of the society, the process will be divided in three phases:

Phase 1: Exposition about Strategic proposals coming from Outstanding International Universities. The main goal is to generate discussion and momentum in the media and the citizenship. This momentum will help to get economical and political support from public and private organizations. The proposals should be based on creativity, relationship with the economical factors, recommendations from the Downtown Alliance and comments from other possible developers involved.

Phase 2: Creation of a multidisciplinary committee, including the organizations involved in Phase 1 and incorporating other public institutions, art centers and Developers. The committee will generate a realistic and attractive scope for the competition basing it on the feedback obtained from Phase 1.

Phase 3: International Competition. The proposal should create a minor impact on the current buildings and functions of the district, but should provide a huge added value.