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For Immediate Release
March 20, 2019

Contacts:
Rachaele Raynoff, Joe Marvilli – press@planning.nyc.gov (212) 720-3471

More than 600 Designs Received for POPS Logo Competition; Public Voting Opens Today

View submissions and vote at popslogo.nyc by Tuesday, April 2

NEW YORK – Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Marisa Lago, Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space (APOPS) President Jerold S. Kayden, and The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) President Elizabeth Goldstein today announced that members of the public can view the 607 POPS Logo Design Competition submissions received from 58+ countries and vote for their favorite at popslogo.nyc.

“We’re looking for a logo that’s instantly recognizable and clearly identifies these delightful indoor and outdoor spaces as open to the public. POPS are created for the public, so we’re asking you to help us pick a logo. Be sure to vote at www.popslogo.nyc!” DCP Director Marisa Lago said.

Public voting is open through Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 12:00 p.m. EST for the logo that best captures the essence of New York City’s Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS). 

“That hundreds of people entered the Competition from around the world confirms the universal importance of public space. It will be interesting to see whether a New Yorker or someone else ends up creating a widely seen new symbol for publicness in New York City,” said Jerold S. Kayden, APOPS president and Harvard professor.

“We are thrilled to have such an outpouring of interest in this competition. We look forward to hearing which proposed logos resonate most with the public,” MAS President Elizabeth Goldstein said. “The Competition has already achieved one of its key goals, which was to draw broad attention to the importance of these public spaces all over New York.”

The selected designer will receive $4,000, and the new official POPS logo will be prominently displayed on signs at each of the City’s more than 550 POPS, alongside useful information for visitors about hours of access, required amenities such as seating, and how to report any complaints to 311. 

POPS Logo Design Competition: Next Steps

The public is invited to vote online for its favorite logo through the Competition website.

  • Members of the public may vote only once for only one logo. Public voting ends Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • In addition to online posting, submissions will be on display at a public exhibit at a specific date, time, and place to be announced on the Competition website.

Jury Panel and final selection:

The three logos that receive the most votes from members of the public will be incorporated into the panel selection process as if they were the choices of an additional panelist.

A seven-person panel, along with the public vote, will then select up to three awardees, each of whom will receive $2,000 and be honored at a public event.

From these selected logos, DCP Director Marisa Lago may choose one to become the official New York City POPS logo, and that awardee will receive an additional $2,000. The award funds are provided through a gift by Knoll.

Awardees and the City’s choice for the official New York City POPS logo will be announced online on Monday, May 20, 2019.

The seven members of the panel who, along with the public vote, will select awardees are:

  • Jerold S. Kayden, Frank Backus Williams Professor of Urban Planning and Design, Harvard University and President, Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space (Presiding Panelist)
  • Glen Cummings, Creative Director, MTWTF
  • Katherine Farley, Chair, Lincoln Center Board of Directors
  • Elizabeth Goldstein, President, The Municipal Art Society of New York
  • Marisa Lago, Chair, New York City Planning Commission and Director, New York City Department of City Planning
  • Kim Mathews, Principal Emerita, MNLA
  • Justin Garrett Moore, Executive Director, New York City Public Design Commission.

POPS are the result of City zoning regulations aimed at ensuring that the densest areas of the City offer indoor and outdoor places that are usable by the public without charge. The POPS program has produced nearly 3.8 million square feet of additional public space in the City—that is as much as 24 Union Squares, one and a half Empire State Buildings, or 113 football fields.

POPS, which come in many shapes and sizes, are owned and maintained by private property owners.

More information on POPS can be found at DCP’s recently updated web page, http://nyc.gov/pops and its newly unveiled interactive map at https://capitalplanning.nyc.gov/pops, and at the APOPS|MAS website at http://apops.mas.org. You can also follow the Competition on social media via #POPSLogoNYC.

Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.

About Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space
Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space (APOPS) is a private, not-for-profit organization founded by Harvard University professor Jerold S. Kayden in 2005 to promote greater public awareness and use of New York City’s 550 or so zoning-created plazas, arcades, and other outdoor and indoor spaces known as privately owned public spaces. APOPS has worked diligently to ensure that comprehensive and accurate knowledge about POPS locations and legal requirements are available and that owners observe applicable legal requirements with regard to public access and use. Working with The Municipal Art Society of New York, APOPS introduced in 2012 the first-ever comprehensive website containing an interactive map and detailed profiles of every POPS in the city. APOPS engages cooperatively with owners, civic groups, city agencies, community boards, and members of the public to improve POPS.

About The Municipal Art Society of New York
For 125 years, The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) has worked to educate and inspire New Yorkers to engage in the betterment of our city. As a non-profit advocacy organization, MAS mobilizes diverse allies to focus on issues that affect our city from sidewalk to skyline. Through three core campaign areas, MAS protects New York’s legacy spaces, encourages thoughtful planning and urban design, and fosters inclusive neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information, visit www.mas.org.