# Pedestrian-Only City Centers Norway's Snohetta Designs a Car-Free Times Square By Tiana Reid | Published 2010-07-29 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/car-free-times-square References: [archdaily](http://www.archdaily.com/70815/times-square-reconstruction-project-snøhetta/) & [snoarc.no](http://www.snoarc.no/#/main/) Norway's design company Snøhetta has been selected to design a car-free Times Square for the Times Square Redevelopment Project. We all know that New York City's infamous city square is filled with over-stimulation. In Snøhetta's designs, the ads don't disappear, but the cars do. The Times Square makeover involves adding [more furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urban-furniture1), and Molly Dilworth's pour painting to create an area that is more enjoyable for all of New York City's citizens and tourists. **Implications** - The goal of Norway's [Snohetta Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/powell-hall) is to improve the environment, the atmosphere, and the quality of one of the world's most famous tourist attractions. If that isn't noble, I don't know what is. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 71% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Car-free City Centers:** The design of car-free city centers represents an opportunity for companies to create new infrastructures and services that cater to pedestrian activity rather than vehicular movement. - **Smart Urban Design:** With urban spaces becoming more and more crowded, there is a need for companies to innovate the next frontier: smart urban design and planning, to accommodate the needs of more people without sacrificing quality of life. - **Mixed-use Public Spaces:** Mixed-use public spaces are a trend that highlights the growing intersection between public and private, and present a promising investment avenue for those looking to contribute to the urban ecosystem through innovative design and placemaking. ### Who This Affects Most - **Urban Planning:** The need for smart and efficient usage of land will require urban planners and architects to rethink the traditional city planning model, and embrace sustainable and creative urban design solutions. - **Mobility Services:** The trend towards car-free city centers presents an opportunity for mobility services companies to offer new products and solutions to cater to alternative modes of transportation, such as bicycles and electric scooters. - **Out-of-home Advertising:** As design companies seek to create more engaging and enjoyable public spaces, out-of-home advertising companies will need to adapt their business models to ensure their advertisements complement, rather than detract from, the ambiance of these shared spaces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Multifunctional Angled Apartments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vertikal-nydalen.md) - [Weather-Resistant Hexagonal Tiles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asak-flyt.md) - [Norwegian Coastline-Inspired Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holzweiler-store.md) - [Stars-Inspired Elliptical Planetariums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/planetarium-design.md) - [Mixed-Use Developments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skamarken.md) - [Architectural Tranquil Cabin Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bolder-londges.md) - [Mountainous Holiday Ski Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-a-hotel-rusutsu.md) - [Redesigned Unifying Transit Terminals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/midtown-bus-terminal.md) - [Cozy Mixed-Use Gathering Spaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mixeduse-gathering-space.md)