10/23/2026
The Flex Shed and Rigid Shed named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026!
Our studio is proud to have collaborated on the design of these sheds alongside Arup in the Americas, KNE studio and Core Scaffold Systems Inc., as part of a citywide initiative led by NYC Department of Buildings.
“New Yorkers are tired of sidewalk sheds that darken our streets and take up precious public space. While many of these sheds remain necessary to protect pedestrians during building maintenance, that doesn’t mean we should accept the status quo. We’re working to reduce the number of sheds across the city and to make the ones that remain safer and brighter. These redesigned sheds will bring more light, more air, and more room to move — helping us reclaim our sidewalks for the people who use them every day,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.
A yellow Rigid Shed for heavy-duty work, a blue Flex Shed with a largely translucent roof. Heavier steel replaces the usual aluminum pipes, so the structure needs no bracing running along the sidewalk, leaving the street open, bright and in view, while still keeping pedestrians protected.
A piece of temporary infrastructure shapes how a city feels every day. Form follows feeling, even on the sidewalk.
Thank you TIME for the recognition.