The architect Charles Renfro — a partner at the visionary firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro — talked to us about making cities more humane, combatting systemic racism through design, rediscovering Central Park during the pandemic, and his upcoming master class on The Future of Cities as part of our Great Thinkers series.
Cities across the world are undergoing a sea change as they grapple with Covid-19 at every level — from how we set up our apartments to global commerce. How do you think cities will change as a result of the pandemic?
First, we are trying to make our cities habitable during a time of contagion. That has resulted in a few notable efforts that might be here to stay, with the Open Streets movement being chief among them. Turning our cities inside out, bringing the interior activities outside, makes our cities more transparent, accessible, vibrant and connected to the environment. By dissolving the walls between inside and outside, we significantly reduce the barrier to entry while simultaneously reducing the chance of disease transmission. This barrier-free thinking should then trickle into many facets of our society — into healthcare, culture and education, to name a few.
We are likely to also see a radical shift in the way our built resources are used. Office buildings are already being targeted for reimagining. I would like to see a more radical type of mixed zoning emerge from this crisis that would eliminate traditional zoning which perpetuates inequity and racism.
You’ll be in conversation for 92Y’s Great Thinkers series this week, talking about the future of cities with Zeitguide’s Brad Grossman and the 92Y community. Why do you think it’s important for people who aren't necessarily familiar with the worlds of architecture and design to be part of conversations like this?
A very large percentage of the world’s population lives in cities. We often think cities evolve around us without our input or consent. And right now, they mostly do. These days, wealthy developers construct our cities to maximize their profits. This needs to change. Cities should be made for us and by us. We (architects too!) need to have a seat at the table — even if we don't have the wealth to buy it. Changing the way our cities are made should be one of our most important tasks, post Covid.
Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s work on The High Line, MoMA, the Shed, and Alice Tully Hall has subtly reframed the way we think about the arts and human interaction in New York. Why are parks and public art centers so important to the life of a city? Has social distance changed your perspective on this?
Culture as we know and love it is built around congregation and storytelling. We tell stories in a public setting, whether in a museum or concert hall, to maximize their impact and develop connections and empathy with the people around us. Unfortunately, Covid has accelerated a disturbing trend towards self-constructed media worlds. We are losing our ability to connect and to develop empathy. Now, more than ever, it is important that we reimagine how we can get together in the same space and time with others in ways that reduce the risk of infection.
Some of our most-known projects, like the High Line and the plazas at Lincoln Center, are open-air experiences. The Mile-Long Opera, which our studio produced along the High Line, was a free, outdoor acoustic performance with 1,000 singers. The Shed can also be open-air, much like a large-scale version of the tents cropping up during Open Streets. Even our projects that require a conditioned environment such as MoMA were designed to deliver maximum content to the street through broad windows and free galleries. Our work has been devoted to giving as much as we can to as many as we can.
You’ve been working on several academic spaces at universities across the country for the last few years — UC Berkeley, Columbia, University of Chicago, and elsewhere. Safely reopening academic institutions at every level of education is a major concern right now. How do you think we can accomplish this? What are some specific challenges of designing spaces where people can learn together during a pandemic?
Simply stated, I don't think we should reopen any classrooms for collective in-person education until there is a vaccine. Luckily, great progress is being made on that front. Until then, Zoom and other programs continue to evolve to facilitate collaborative experience. Online education is likely here to stay alongside in person education and that can be a good thing too, bringing educational opportunity to more people with less means around the world.
What’s the public space that you’ve missed most during the pandemic? And what spaces have kept you inspired these last few months?
Central Park has never looked and felt better. During the height of the pandemic in New York, my partner and I would ride our bikes through it at least once a week, watching it come to life over the spring. It is glorious, but I must admit that I miss going to the opera!