Earlier this year, the City of New York hosted the Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge to redesign its network of over 11,000 payphones when vendor contracts expire in 2014. The contest received 125 submissions and out of six finalists, NYFi by Sage and Coombe Architects won the public vote. The double-sided, smartphone-like touchscreens would act as multipurpose free wireless hubs, bus ticket machines, MetroCard dispensers, bicycle share stations and payphones in an attempt to reduce the number of machines taking up valuable space on the street.

The Beacon from Frog Design won for best visual design, Smart Sidewalks won for best functionality, and NYC Loop won for best in creativity. Windchimes, created by students at Parsons the New School for Design, and NYC I/O, created by Control Group and Titan, both won for best community impact. While no single design will be completely implemented, the city plans to use core ideas and features in its final design.

via Laughing Squid