The Unfinished Grid: Design Speculations for Manhattan

Manhattan’s familiar street grid is a work in progress, an evolving creation that began with a bold vision by the city’s commissioners in 1811, but which has been altered and amended by generations of planners, builders, and advocates. What mark will future architects, private developers, and city officials leave on the grid? What new kinds of buildings will they construct within its blocks, and what new ways will they devise for organizing its streets?

To answer these questions, the Architectural League of New York, in partnership with the Museum of the City of New York and Architizer, issued a Call for Ideas inviting architects and urban designers to speculate about how Manhattan’s grid might be adapted, extended, or transformed in the future. The Unfinished Grid: Design Speculations for Manhattan presents the eight winning projects, all of which offer provocative ideas for the future of the city.

The Unfinished Grid is made possible with support from the J. Clawson Mills Fund of the Architectural League. Additional support is provided by Walter and Judy Hunt. Media sponsorship was provided by Architizer.

Members of the jury for the Call for Ideas were: Amale Andraos, Hilary Ballon, Rosalie Genevro, Sarah Henry, Wendy Evans Joseph, Marc Kushner, Mark Robbins, Gregory Wessner, and Sarah Whiting.

Image credits (clockwise from top left):

The Informal Grid: Ryan Neiheiser, Giancarlo Valle, Isaiah King

The Plaid- Architecture Commons: Eric Ho, Rick Lam

Tabula Fluxus- Group Han Associates New York: Myung Kweon Park, Yikyu Choe, Michael Chaveriat

Flow My Tears, The Commissioners Said- GHILARDI + HELLSTEN ARKITEKTER: Franco Ghilardi, Ellen Hellsten, Espen Vatn, Erik Stenman, Einar Rodhe

6 1/4 Avenue- Ksestudio: Kyriakos Kyriakou, Sofia Krimizi, assisted by Yubi Park, Jennifer Endozo, Inti Rojanasopondist and Pauline Caubel

NYCity2- Fotis Sagonas, Ioannis Oikonomou

Dissociative New York: Joshua Mackley, Mathew Ford
Projective Exceptions- Grant Alford, assisted by Spencer Lindstrom