FN Insights
The institution’s ecologically conscious “Street Seats” is open through November.
Parsons promotes sustainability, while LIM debuts new degree.
Fashion and footwear education programs have readily embraced sustainability in recent years, and The New School’s Parsons School of Design is the latest to reveal a major eco-friendly project.
The school recently debuted its annual “Street Seats,” a “sustainably designed temporary public space for New Yorkers to sit, socialize and peoplewatch,” said a spokesperson for the college. The project could signal what the institution might have in the works for future environmentally minded initiatives.
“‘Street Seats’ [uses] design as a vehicle for sustainability and social benefit,” said Emily Moss, director of the school’s BFA in architectural design program.
The spokesperson explained that the student-constructed space uses elements like repurposed fishing net for seats and screens, a solar-powered lighting system and energy-efficient LED lighting.
But these aren’t the only ways the space encourages the rethinking of materials. The development also uses “naturally rot-resistant Western red cedar” for countertops and biodegradable coconut fiber and jute webbing for planters, according to the spokesperson.
These planters are situated at the edges of the seating area to minimize street sounds and encourage “a pleasant environment in which to sit and relax.”
“Herbs and native plants were chosen for their fragrance, to attract pollinators and their ability to thrive in the urban environment in New York,” added the spokesperson. “Thirteen species of plants will provide a variety of blooms and changes in color throughout the growing season.”
The project comes as a part of a New York City Department of Transportation program that focuses on the creation of seasonal public areas where seating options generally do not exist.
“Street Seats” is located in Greenwich Village and will run through November.
“‘Street Seats’ [uses] design as a vehicle for sustainability and social benefit.” — Emily Moss, Parsons School of Design