West Midtown has no central public space to define the area or give it focus. Our plan for the Penn Digital Garden creates a public amenity that improves the value of the surrounding development as well as establishes a great urban amenity.

The idea of creating places in West Midtown that are welcoming, resonate with activity and provide income for maintenance of their public spaces is a logical extension of the commercial signage characteristically existing in this part of town. Not intended to duplicate or compete with Times Square, our proposal is for a series of coordinated digital sign elements, not “spectaculars”. These more intimately scaled pylons and screens are primarily designed to define each place. They would be programmed with changing presentations to offer advertising, news and public service announcements.

Beyond conventional advertising uses, the pylons and digital screens of different shapes could also be used by visual artists who could adapt this technology to their purposes, creating installations that would be unusually compelling and exciting. Whether abstract or representational, these changing images could take over every screen in the district at specific times, such as every hour or half-hour. These installations invent a “you had to be there” attraction, drawing flows of visitors to experience the event and giving a rich diversity and activity to the Digital Garden.

CLIENT: Two Penn Plaza
COMPLETION: 2014
SIZE: 3.5 acres