The i-SHED was submitted to the urbanShed International Design Competition organized by The New York City Buildings Department, AIA New York Chapter and additional partners. The competition called for a new design for the standard NYC construction shed.
A new urban typology, the i-SHED enriches the pedestrian experience. It encourages us to inhabit a previously undesirable space by providing light, water, and a growing range of amenities on the go.

The i-SHED was designed in collaboration with Sylvie Blondeau, Asli Erdem and Chi Ying Shen.

The Smart Column, the main element of the iShed, is a square recycled steel tube of modular height with a telescopic footing. All secondary elements, structural and programmatic, connect to the Smart Column with standardized connections.
The outer edge of the iShed is pulled in 5’ away from the curb to bring in ample daylight. Secondary structural members are elevated above 10’ to open up visual and physical connections to the street. From top to bottom, the Smart Column’s apertures receive a collection of programmatic plug-ins: light shelves to reflect daylight, hanging
gardens watered by collected storm water, signage banners, LED lighting, countertop at elbow height to sip coffee, bike racks at the curb and seating areas next to the building façade.
Industrial-grade GRP sheets make the upper floor of the iShed. A heavyduty fiberglass mesh is tacked to steel outriggers. Plastic tubs set in between the top structure collect water and guide it down the column. The crew sets up the Smart Columns first, and installs the top C channels. They brace the structure with telescopic horizontal transverse tubes and diagonal rods. Square tubes resting on top of the C channels provide the tertiary structure for the GRP flooring and the outriggers.
The iShed maintains a simple system of structure and programmatic elements encouraging pedestrian flow, and enriching the life of the street.