New Sidewalk Shed Designs By PAU Unveiled At 280 Broadway In Civic Center, Manhattan

Two prototype sidewalk sheds have been installed outside the New York City Department of Buildings headquarters at 280 Broadway in Civic Center, Manhattan. Designed by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) and developed with structural partner LERA Consulting Structural Engineers, the Baseline Shed and Speed Shed mark the first time either PAU design has appeared on a New York City sidewalk. The installations were unveiled on October 19, when Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the DOB announced that the number of sidewalk sheds across the five boroughs has declined by approximately 1,200 since January, a reduction of more than 15 percent.

The installations mark a milestone in a multi-year effort to rework one of the city’s most ubiquitous structures. The city selected teams led by PAU and Arup to reimagine the sheds in February 2024 under the Get Sheds Down initiative, and the resulting six designs, three from each firm, were first unveiled in November 2025. PAU’s collaborators include Tang Studio Architect, Langan, RWDI, Fisher Marantz Stone, and Dharam Consulting. Two Arup prototypes were installed outside DOB headquarters earlier this summer, and the firm’s Flex and Rigid designs were recently named among TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2026.

A central innovation across PAU’s designs is the sloped roof, which eliminates the need for a parapet, admits more natural light onto the sidewalk, and discourages climbing, a safety concern with existing sheds. The angled profile also improves visibility of surrounding buildings and storefronts, while a simple drainage gutter and a concealed flat scaffolding plane behind the slope accommodate pragmatic needs.

The Baseline Shed is a versatile system available in heavy- and light-duty configurations, with a transparent polycarbonate roof that filters daylight while maintaining overhead protection. The Speed Shed is a lightweight, mobile structure designed for rapid deployment during short-term work and emergency repairs, with protective netting in place of solid decking and detachable wheels that allow repositioning as construction demands change. PAU’s third selected design, the Wide Baseline Shed, is intended for larger, longer-term projects on broad sidewalks and major thoroughfares, where widely spaced columns reduce obstructions and improve pedestrian flow.

Cost-effectiveness and ease of construction were also central to the design process. PAU developed a standardized, modular kit of parts with adjustable aluminum framing, intended to simplify installation, maintenance, and reuse across changing site conditions. The DOB is advancing the rulemaking process to make all six designs available throughout the five boroughs. The designs are owned by the City of New York and can be freely reproduced.

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