New York City is now home to an incredibly unique park. After an arduous approval and construction process that took about eight years, Heatherwick Studio and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects designed Little Island as a nature getaway and peaceful retreat for city dwellers.
This will be one of the first parks in the city to open following the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the most iconic features of Little Island is the dramatic series of piles that support the park. Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio was inspired by these piles and the engineering required to build a structure that could withstand extreme river conditions. Instead of hiding these participants, could we make them the heroes of our project? In the vision, the piles will become planters whose tops will converge into an undulating landscape of lush plant life.”
Little Island NYC
A variety of shots of the park illustrate the range of movement made possible by different heights of the structures. Certainly, the architects succeeded in celebrating this structural solution.
Little Island is an amazing little land with almost 400 different types of grasses, shrubs, trees and shrubs. One of the greatest benefits of Little Island is the amazing biodiversity it introduces to the area.
Hopefully, soon, Little Island will be able to offer New Yorkers a beautiful nature getaway right next door. To keep up with the park’s progress, keep scrolling to see photos taken by Richard Silver and Timothy Schenck. It’s tough to beat the beauty of nature.
Performances at Little Island are free
Little Island begins its inaugural season with live performances at The Amph stage. Experience our variety of arts presentations, ranging from cultural festivals with themes to more intimate performances along the Hudson.
Little Island: Website | Facebook |
Timothy Schenck: Website | Instagram |
Little Island @Pier55 | open at 6 am, closed at 1 am | Pier55 in Hudson River Park @ West 13th Street, New York NY 10014
This might not be the yellow brick road, but it’s pretty close to being just as magical. Check out this close-up of the pavers in The PlayGround, our open plaza space on Little Island.
