Brooklyn Grand Army Plaza Competition Has Two French Winners

Grand Army Plaza should be one of the world’s great urban spaces. Designed in 1867 by Olmsted and Vaux, this magnificent 11-acre plaza is home to powerful architecture, the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch, the elegant Bailey Fountain, the Greenmarket, and the entrance to Prospect Park. Despite its identity as the historic, cultural and geographic heart of Brooklyn, hazardous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists today impede access to neighborhoods, cultural institutions, and prevent use of the Plaza itself.

Joint 1st Prize: “Please Wake Me Up!” by Gauthier le Romance, Guillaume Derrien (Paris). (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“Please Wake Me Up!” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“Please Wake Me Up!” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

To catalyze Grand Army Plaza’s rebirth, the Design Trust for Public Space and the Grand Army Plaza Coalition, held an open, international ideas competition in spring 2008 to attract visionary designs for transforming the Plaza. Entrants were encouraged to create bold visions that express the spirit of Brooklyn right now, and did not have to be realistic.

Joint 1st Prize: “Canopy” by Anne-Sophie Coue, Chrystelle Sanaa, Stephane Mauget and Christian Matteau (Nantes). (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“Canopy” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

Today, the Reinventing Grand Army Plaza ideas competition organizers announced a First Place tie between two proposals from French architecture firms — one from Paris and one from Nantes: “Please Wake Me Up!” by Gauthier le Romance, Guillaume Derrien (Paris) and “Canopy” by Anne-Sophie Coue, Chrystelle Sanaa, Stephane Mauget and Christian Matteau (Nantes). “Urban Stripes” by Andras Jambor and Vincent Hertenberger (Paris) came in 2nd, and “A Center for Brooklyn” by James Garrison, Brandt Graves, Simon Kristak, Vanessa Moon, Tim Peterson, Sal Tranchina, Aaron Tweedie, Darshin Van Parijs, Elliot White, and Michael King (Brooklyn) took home the 3rd place.

2nd Prize: “Urban Stripes” by Andras Jambor and Vincent Hertenberger (Paris). (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“Urban Stripes” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“Urban Stripes” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

The competition resulted in over 200 proposals submitted from around the world. A distinguished independent jury judged the submissions through an anonymous review, and selected the top 30 proposals to be included in the public exhibit, along with the prizewinning designs. From September 13 to October 13, 2008, these visionary plans for a new and improved Grand Army Plaza will be on view in a free, outdoor, public exhibition in the center of the Plaza. Designed by the world-renowned firm Pentagram, this unprecedented exhibit allows the public to imagine the new plans while on site.

3rd Prize: “A Center for Brooklyn” by James Garrison, Brandt Graves, Simon Kristak, Vanessa Moon, Tim Peterson, Sal Tranchina, Aaron Tweedie, Darshin Van Parijs, Elliot White, and Michael King (Brooklyn). (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

“A Center for Brooklyn” (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)

The time to improve Grand Army Plaza is now. This exhibit will lay the groundwork for a Plaza that will be more beautiful, support a range of public events, and provide safer and easier access for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists alike. Visit the Reinventing Grand Army Plaza Exhibit to learn about the possibilities.

Current view from the arch. (Image: Design Trust for Public Space)