NYC Unveils Two Redesigned Sidewalk Shed Models
Practice for Architecture and Urbanism's Baseline and Speed sheds are on display outside the Department of Buildings in Lower Manhattan.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Remote Work
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New York City unveiled two new sidewalk shed designs by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), the Baseline Shed and the Speed Shed. The city says it is removing sheds that do not need to be there while building better alternatives for those that do.
Why it matters
The redesigns target the visual and functional drawbacks of the sheds that cover city sidewalks during building work. The city has also removed approximately 1,200 sheds since January as part of its broader effort to reduce them.
The city reports approximately 1,200 sidewalk sheds removed since January, a decrease of more than 15 percent in total sheds over 10 months. The number of sheds still standing and the timeline for full citywide adoption of the new designs were not disclosed.
The players
Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is the Mayor of New York City, who unveiled the new sidewalk shed designs at the event.
Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)
Practice for Architecture and Urbanism is an architecture and urban design firm that created the Baseline Shed and Speed Shed designs.
Arup
Arup is a global engineering and design consultancy that designed the Rigid Shed and Flex Shed, which were named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026.
New York City Department of Buildings
The New York City Department of Buildings is the city agency that regulates construction and is displaying the new shed designs outside its Lower Manhattan headquarters.
The details
The Baseline Shed uses transparent polycarbonate decking and a new angled roof to let in more natural light, and it comes in heavy-duty and light-duty versions. The Speed Shed has an angled roof with rockfall netting and detachable wheels so it can be moved quickly between locations. The Department of Buildings is displaying the designs outside its Lower Manhattan headquarters alongside two earlier designs from Arup.
Timeline
2024: The city hired PAU and Arup to redesign sidewalk sheds.
2025: Local Laws 48 and 51 were passed.
January 2026: Removal of approximately 1,200 sidewalk sheds began.
Summer 2026: The Department of Buildings showcased Arup's Rigid Shed and Flex Shed designs.
November 13, 2026: The mayor unveiled PAU's Baseline Shed and Speed Shed designs.
Big Picture
The redesigns follow Local Laws 48 and 51, passed in 2025, which set the city's framework for regulating sidewalk sheds. The current removal of about 1,200 sheds since January extends that policy into active reduction of the citywide shed inventory.
Pedestrians walking past construction in New York City may see fewer sidewalk sheds over time as the city removes unneeded ones. The new designs with more natural light and movable structures could change how covered walkways look and function near active building sites.
The takeaway
The city is pairing fewer sidewalk sheds with better designs for the ones still needed, which may make pedestrian routes safer and brighter. Residents can watch for the remaining six designs to appear on job sites before the end of the year.
Further reading
For more on how city infrastructure rules shape daily life, explore Remote Work coverage for New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Architect’s Newspaper.
Live Poll
Have sidewalk sheds in your neighborhood gotten noticeably less obstructive over the past year?
