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WXY architecture + urban design, one of New York’s leading architecture practices, recently completed work on the New York City (NYC) Information Centre.

Located at 810 Seventh Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd streets, the centre was created in partnership with NYC & Company, the city’s official marketing, tourism and partnerships organisation, and media design firm Local Projects.

The aim was to reinvent the way visitors and residents plan their New York City itineraries.

“We are immensely pleased with the sleek new design and state-of-the-art technologies that make up the new NYC Information Centre. The new centre is fitting of New York City and its residents, and will be a model for visitor information centres around the globe,” commented George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company.

WXY has created a new paradigm for information exchange, eliminating the need for traditional print brochures.

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Instead, users place digitised ‘pucks’ on Interactive Map Tables, which trigger mapping software and allow them to create customised guidebooks and itineraries of New York City. “The invitation by NYC & Company to completely reconceive the familiar visitor centre experience was a complex challenge,” said Claire Weisz, WXY principal architect.

“By working closely with Local Projects, we were able to integrate their sophisticated technology into the interior architecture, without impacting the integrity of our design,” she added.

Once an itinerary is developed, the visitor can view their travel plans in a choice of three formats. A large video wall, located at the rear of the centre, features 16 high-definition flat screen monitors that allow visitors to view dynamic three-dimensional maps of their urban itinerary.

By placing their digitised puck on the screen’s designated pylon, a visitor’s saved search becomes a dramatic cartographic display of the city from above. Visitors can also use the digitised puck-to-pylon method to obtain their itinerary in hard copy or, alternatively, send an itinerary via email or text.

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