"It's keeping the wood out of the landfill, and helping restaurants get back on their feet."
From Barricades to Brunch: Plywood Used to Board Up Stores Repurposed for Sidewalk Dining
Architect Nick Flutter is sanding a wooden stool outside Wayan Restaurant in Nolita. The cube is being used for the eatery's curb lane seating, which was permitted for phase two of the city's reopening from coronavirus restrictions. It's made from the plywood that was used to protect businesses from looters.
"These are designed to be off the shelf items that any cafe can just quickly put up around their parking space and have a compliant outdoor dining setup,” said Flutter, a designer for BVN.
The concept of re-purposing the barricades made from thousands of sheets of plywood and installed during lockdown – as a stackable street furniture kit, is the brainchild of the New York office of Australian Architecture Firm BVN. They call the initiative "re-ply.”
