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OpenStage and Stoop NYC

New York, NY

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Public Work

Motivated by the need to support the New York City communities deeply affected by the pandemic, Rockwell Group joined forces with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to create Stoop NYC—a public space amenity that combined open seating, staging and built-in storage for the City’s Open Streets program.

Client
New York City Department of Transportation
Project Category
L1290367

The concept honed in on the front steps as a perennial gathering space for families, friends, and communities. Rockwell Group reinterpreted this quintessential feature into a freestanding piece of furniture consisting of two pairs of steps.

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Stoops NYC 060

Installed in a parking lane, the feature’s design facilitated a range of community-driven activities, from outdoor dining and performances to after-school program activities. Additional portable, lightweight custom-designed cubes that could be used both as seating, along with folding chairs and tables could also be stowed beneath the steps when not in use.

Painted bleacher seating with crowd in background.
Rockwell Group also designed a telescoping street barrier that could be unrolled to cordon off traffic during 34th Avenue’s Open Street hours. Featuring artwork by Deborah Wasserman and fabricated by Arcana, a design and fabrication studio based in Brooklyn, Stoop provided a refreshing dose of optimistic energy to 34th Avenue in Queens.
Close-up of saxophonist performing.
A band performs in front of ethusiastic audience.

Stoop builds on Rockwell Group’s experience in engaging with similar civic initiatives, such as DineOut NYC and OpenStage NYC, which was conceived to to support live performances. In partnering with the production company TAIT, Rockwell Group was able to bring portable stages and equipment to nonprofit arts organizations in the outer boroughs.

These included BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance and OpenCultureWORKS. The program provided immediate assistance through the design and use of stages and stage equipment, and served as a model for how others can utilize public space and help create outdoor performance opportunities.