We are actively involved in the repositioning and redevelopment of a number of office buildings, including 85 Broad Street–a 1980s office building on a pivotal site in lower Manhattan. One of the most exciting improvements is a temporary ground mural installed around the entire building. The piece is inspired by "The Plan of the City of New York in North America", a map by Bernard Ratzer, British Army officer and cartographer (1766-67). The temporary nature of the installation at 85 Broad Street's plaza provides an opportunity to create a higher energy intervention to re-engage the modern public with the historical significance of the site. It imprints a brief, memorable experience onto visitors to the building's plaza and arcade by providing a jolt of visual contrast to the traditional dark context. The mural emphasizes connections between the building, historic Stone Street, and the surrounding Financial District area, while new seating and landscaping provide newly whimsical amenities to both the building's tenants and the larger public.
Ground mural art installation designed by FXCollaborative.
The initial idea of a ground mural was provided by our colleagues at W Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
