Battery Park City Streetscapes

New York, NY, USA

Photo © Paul Warchol

Photo © Nathan Sayers

Photo © Paul Warchol

Architects: ROGERS PARTNERS Architects+Urban Designers

Location: New York, NY, USA
Year: 2008

Rogers Partners provided enhanced pedestrian connections to public spaces and amenities and created a new identity for this residential, business and touristic neighborhood along the Hudson River in Manhattan and across from the World Trade Center site. Illuminated bench seating, glowing glass shade canopies, a plant nursery, grass covered berms and paving variety create gracious pedestrian areas. Designed to offer more beautiful and enjoyable experiences by day or night, the Battery Park City streetscape welcomes people on their way to work, strolling along in awe of the Statue of Liberty at sunset, on a morning run or out to catch a water taxi.

The project integrates much needed neighborhood amenities with security considerations throughout the North Neighborhood and World Financial Center. Security is seamlessly integrated into the urban fabric at all scales, from urban planning to material details. At the neighborhood scale, the design solution adjusts curb lines, changes traffic patterns, and re-assigns neighborhood streets to reduce vehicular speeds approaching sensitive financial institutions. Landscape provides security for nearby buildings: a combination of earth-backed walls, grass-covered berms, and collapsible paving systems do double duty as pedestrian zones and perimeter security.

The scope involved producing and executing a comprehensive master plan, creating neighborhood design guidelines, leading stakeholder charrettes, performing traffic analysis, and conducting advanced technology research.