Architect 2014-07.pdf

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FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS REINVENTS THE PHONE BOOTH FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
In the age of cellphones, telephone booths have become
obsolete. Yet during 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, the
anachronistic infrastructure was one of the few
communication systems that remained operational in
Manhattan, thanks to its independent network of
copper lines.
In 2013, New York City held a Reinvent Payphones
Design Challenge to elicit ideas for a 21st-century phone
booth. FXFowle Architects answered the call with NYC
Loop, a piece of urban furniture brimming with features.
Juror Bill Kreysler saw great value in its “practical day-today
applications.”
The proposed NYC Loop comes equipped with a Wi-Fi
hub, touchscreens for maps and weather, a Bluetooth
connection, a cellphone charging station, and a bench for
people-watching. The open-air structure has a frequencyspecific
system to mask ambient street noise, creating
an oasis of relative quiet beneath its canopy. “We have
investigated using a similar technology in the design of
open office plans,” says Guy Geier, FAIA, managing partner
at FXFowle.
Proposed Applications and Features
Scalable
Photo booth
Interactive image projector
Art space
The Loop could also host bicycle parking, electric-car
charging, tables for short meetings, a garden wall, a photo
booth, and even a performance or art space. “I like the
flexibility of the system,” juror Gerardo Salinas said. “You
can add more things to it—you could put in a swing.” “Any
background you want for your selfie,” Kreysler chimed in.
The Loop would likely tie into the city’s power grid, but
it would generate and store some of its own power with
photovoltaic panels and batteries, as well as piezoelectric
plates embedded in the adjacent pavement that would
convert the kinetic energy of pedestrian footsteps into
electricity. In the event of widespread power failure, basic
communications functions and LED light strips would have
enough on-board power to work.
At press time, FXFowle was in discussions with potential
partners about participating in the city’s official RFP, which
covers everything from design to fabrication, maintenance,
and operation. Geier says that the firm has also received
inquiries from municipalities and universities around the
world that are intrigued with the NYC Loop’s potential.
Perhaps the phone booth can be saved after all.
Performance venue
Bicycle parking
Bench and garden wall
Electric-car charging station
ARCHITECT JULY 2014 WWW.ARCHITECTMAGAZINE.COM