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Today's Urban Design Observation: Anti-Craftsmanship
By Rain Noe - Dec 05, 2017
Manhattan's Chinatown is filled with shops, and many of them have outdoor displays. During the day you can't see the actual display unit, just the goods covering them. But early in the morning the displays are visible.
Enter a caption (optional)They are functional, and only that. Visually they are horrific-looking. I call it anti-craftsmanship. They are built with no thought to aesthetics, longevity nor pride. The materials used are always construction-grade plywood and dimensional lumber joined with sheetrock screws, and the absolute minimum amount of materials and labor are used. For instance here you can see they did not have enough wood to extend this shelf all the way to the back of the unit, so they've straddled the gap with three small pieces.
Enter a caption (optional)This piece has been designed to straddle the sidewalk hatch and allows it to be accessed without displacing the unit. The unit lives outside 24-7, and you can see the plywood has not weathered the elements well. The neighborhood kids have tagged it up for good measure.
Enter a caption (optional)This unit is in front of a florist, and each morning they cover it with plants and it essentially disappears.
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Rain Noe
Rain Noe is a writer and industrial designer based in New York City.
7 Comments
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The cheapness is a feature.
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Indeed, no need to be this guy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI!Report as spam
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Also loving this series.
I'd especially love to see more examples of storefront displays like this!!Report as spam -
Loving this series!
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They accomplish the goal of not getting stolen.
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Nice; I noticed a few months ago we were in SoHo and the street vendors were all packing up and loading their wares in box trucks. I liked how they were packing everything and putting it on hand trucks, but everything was precariously held together. Love these posts.
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Love this series, keep it up, Rain!
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Continued Reading
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By Rain Noe - Dec 04, 2017
Today's Urban Design Observation: Massive Iron Strap Hinges From When Manhattan Was Wild
Above is a Google Street View image of the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, located in what is now hip NoLita. I pass this building often, and a point of interest for me is this massive iron door that leads into the church grounds. You might be wondering why
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By Rain Noe - Dec 01, 2017
Today's Urban Design Observation: Weather-Dependent Trash Cans
This simple steel wire-mesh trash basket is a staple of many an NYC neighborhood. In recent years I've noticed that various neighborhoods' B.I.D.s (Business Improvement District committees) have been lining them with trash bags, as seen here. I presume this is an effort to make emptying the can a
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By Rain Noe - Nov 30, 2017
Today's Urban Design Observation: Falling Apart at the Seams
It's a shame that everyone from name-brand architects to homeowners to neighborhood beautification organizations often miss this important fact: Wood, if not properly maintained, is actually a very poor materials choice for outdoor products and facades. It has to have a protective coating that must regularly be re-applied. And
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By Rain Noe - Nov 29, 2017
Today's Urban Design Observation: A Building That Helps You Improve Your Aim
This building on Kenmare Street may not look special from the front. But look at the left edge of it. The building is incredibly narrow, tapering almost to a point. In Google Maps you can see it's just a thin slice of a building. The incredibly narrow footprint is fine
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