A green promontory overlooking the harbor for all New Yorkers to enjoy
Redesigned by Rogers Marvel Architects and Ken Smith Landscape Architecture, this one acre elevated plaza at 55 Water Street in Manhattan is to be reopened today. Elevated plazas are always something of a challenge, and the previous life of this space was less than stellar despite its riverfront location with generous open sky. Indeed the original plaza with its unwelcoming street access was only built to gain a density bonus when the double-tower complex was originally built in 1972.
The Municipal Art Society and the property landlord (New Water Street Corp.) held a design competition in 2002 to revitalize the space. The design by Rogers Marvel and Ken Smith starts by marking the site with a 50-foot-high LED illuminated translucent glass beacon at the northeast corner of the site, which also serves as an additional park entrance via elevator. The primary entrance is a multilevel assent of escalators, stairs and overlooks rising from street level. Above the park unfurls as a broad events lawn of artificial grass surrounded by a stepped amphitheater, and a gently sloping landscaped "Dune," inspired by regional topography, which rises up to a "Boardwalk" terrace overlooking New York Harbor.
Visit: 55 Water Street
Landscape Architect: Ken Smith Landscape Architecture
Architect: Rogers Marvel Architects
Article: NY Times - An Elevated Plaza Finally Worth Going Up to See
Images: 55 Water Street
Images: Municipal Art Society
More: Tropolism
View Land+Living Map in a larger map
View at the top of the Dune with the Beacon, Boardwalk and harbor beyond (image via Tropolism)
Views of the Beacon, amphitheater in foreground at left (via Wired NY Forum)
Entry at Water Street
The Dune with its plantings of native plants, and honey and black locust trees
The Boardwalk
