Goals:

• Improve the seating options for pedestrians and visitors

• Promote the plaza as a destination for eating, conversation, and enjoying the outdoors

• Add visual interest to Union Square

• Animate the plaza area

Solution:

The addition of 20-25 lightweight chairs (possibly in conjunction with 2-3 matching patio-style tables) built for outdoor use, scattered throughout the main plaza area. Visitors can easily arrange the chairs to fit their individual needs.  The chair in the photo is the one we'll purchase. It's aluminum with teak - materials that match other seating the square. These chairs stack easily, weather well, and are affordable for our scale of project.

Advantages:

• Cheaper than conventional benches

• Adaptable to various individual preferences and easily arranged to accommodate plaza events

• The ever-changing arrangements will animate the plaza area and make it look as dynamic as the population it serves

Q. Will they look messy?

A. This solution has a more organic and casual feel than fixed benches, but research about public space use finds that most people will tend to cluster – it is likely that the chairs will end up in fairly consistent positions, rather than scattered randomly. Researchers have noted that many people only move their chairs by a few inches; it’s more the perceived freedom of movable seating that is appealing. In addition, all the chairs will come in a single design and in one color, to add a cohesive look to the area.

Q. Will they get vandalized or stolen?

A. Many public spaces and parks have used this solution and have found the losses to be minimal.  Harvard recently added about 200 chairs to its main Yard and found that as long as the chairs were secured at night, theft was not an issue. To ensure minimal losses, Union Square Main Streets will be helped by Precinct and other night-time businesses to group and chain the chairs overnight, while morning-oriented businesses will be given access to disperse the chairs at the start of the day.

Q. Where have movable chairs been used?

A. Movable chairs have been used in spaces large (Harvard Yard) and small (an overlook area in NYC’s Highline Park), completely open (Times Square), and partially closed-off (Luxembourg Gardens in Paris). They are a trademark of the various parks in Paris and a common feature in other European parks.