Project Description
This proposal for the NYC Office of Emergency Management acknowledges the tensions inherent within the institution and its siting in a public park. The building negotiates opposing scalar demands – approachability for the park-goer and iconicity relative to speeding cars – that result in a low-rise perimeter and towering apex. Meanwhile, the institution is equally dedicated to both proactive and reactive efforts to diminish the impact of disasters in the city. It must attract and educate the public while remaining poised for lockdown. To do this, the entire ground level becomes a continuation of the park. Here, themed booths amuse participants while covertly educating them about disaster preparedness.