When people are looking for public space in New York City, they often look to the waterways. Of the many ideas in this vein, a new one is more ambitious than usual: an offshore park proposed for the Hudson River off of 14th Street.
Initial pricing puts the project, called Pier 55, at $170 million, and the proposal states that it would be located 186 feet from land and contain wooded areas and three performance venues, 6sqft reports.
Barry Diller, the billionaire Chairman of IAC, is sponsoring the plan. In fact, he initiated the design competition that produced this proposal. Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio is responsible for the current plan for proposed park.
Diller has promised $130 million from the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, in addition to taking managerial responsibilities for the outdoor space and operating costs for the first 20 years. A veteran supporter of public projects, Diller was also the single largest donor to the High Line. The rest of the necessary funds, about $39.5 million, are to come from the city, state, and the Hudson River Park Trust.
Before the plan can go forward, the board of the Hudson River Park Trust, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation must approve Pier 55.
Heatherwick's winning proposal for the park is based on 300 mushroom-shaped concrete columns, forming a parallelogram shape when combined. These columns would vary in height, making the park closer to the water in some places. This design allows sunlight to enter beneath the park, which is vital for the marine sanctuary in this area of the river.
The largest of the three proposed performance spaces would hold 1,000 people in the seats and 2,500 more on the lawn. The other two spaces would be an 800-seat amphitheater and a small stage with 250 seats.
Renderings courtesy Heatherwick Studios.
Related Stories
| Jun 12, 2014
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects' design selected for new UCSC facility
The planned site is a natural landscape among redwood trees with views over Monterey Bay, a site that the architects have called “one of the most beautiful they have ever worked on.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
David Adjaye’s housing project in Sugar Hill nears completion
A new development in New York's historic Sugar Hill district nears completion, designed to be an icon for the neighborhood's rich history.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
| Jun 4, 2014
Want to design a Guggenheim? Foundation launches open competition for proposed Helsinki museum
This is the first time the Guggenheim Foundation has sought a design through an open competition. Anonymous submissions for stage one of the competition are due September 10, 2014.
| Jun 4, 2014
Construction team named for Atlanta Braves ballpark
A joint venture between Barton Malow, Brasfield & Gorrie, Mortenson Construction, and New South Construction will build the Atlanta Braves ballpark, which is scheduled to open in early 2017. Check out the latest renderings of the plan.
| May 30, 2014
Riding high: L.A., Chicago working on their version of the High Line elevated park
Cities around the U.S. are taking notice of New York's highly popular High Line elevated park system. Both Chicago and Los Angeles are currently working on High Line-like projects.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
| May 23, 2014
Big design, small package: AIA Chicago names 2014 Small Project Awards winners
Winning projects include an events center for Mies van der Rohe's landmark Farnsworth House and a new boathouse along the Chicago river.
| May 23, 2014
Top interior design trends: Gensler, HOK, FXFOWLE, Mancini Duffy weigh in
Tech-friendly furniture, “live walls,” sit-stand desks, and circadian lighting are among the emerging trends identified by leading interior designers.
