Times Square is going through physical and psychological changes. These changes are positive and quite significant to the redefinition of Times Square that began several decades ago. The recent conversion of Broadway for permanent pedestrian use signifies the beginning of a paradigmatic shift in the experience and identity of Times Square.

Broadway has been peeled away, revealing a crucial set of issues: the future of Times Square and its public identity. The NYCDOT’s request for proposals entitled “reNEWable Times Square” (found here) called for simple graphic designs for the repainting of the converted sections of Broadway. The RFP will be just one of innumerable formal reactions to the conversion of Broadway, all of which will attempt to close the monumental gaps between what Times Square is today and what it can become in the near future.

The ideas here, as a response to not only the RFP but also to the creation of new public spaces, enforce and enhance what Times Square is today: an ever-evolving experiential and iconic phenomenon.

As Broadway transforms from a vehicular thoroughfare into a pedestrian plaza, it assumes a new public function and identity. It’s not only being incorporated into existing plazas, but is also creating new plazas itself. Thus, a new “paint job” is at once antithetical to the notion of assimilating Broadway into the ends of the blocks as well as an indispensable gesture to redefine Broadway, and by doing so, inventing something new.

The proposed design graphically represents the many forces at work in the new plazas. The green background speaks of growth and renewal and indicates something new is happening to Times Square. The white grid reorients these new spaces and begins to dissolve its formal character as a roadway, all the while offering an occupant of the plaza a graspable measure of scale. The graphic icons, in this case the “I Love New York” icon, is a symbol of the spirit of New York and Times Square which is ever-present and indomitable. The super-scaled NYC Parks Department logos literally re-brand the space as a new kind of super-scaled urban park. Each element works to define the new public identity of Times Square.

We will soon see Broadway completely assimilated into the fabric of Times Square, not only creating new plazas but also creating endless potential for new and exciting experiential moments. Gaining control of the ground plane provides the means to take the next monumental step in Times Square’s illustrious evolution.