Billionaire Barry Diller, chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp and former head of Paramount Pictures and Fox, has commissioned Thomas Heatherwick to design a $170 million “futuristic park” on Manhattan’s lower west side. Replacing the deteriorated Pier 54, the new “Pier55” will be a lush undulating landscape, raised atop 300 mushroom-shaped concrete columns placed 186 feet off of the Hudson River shoreline, that will host outdoor performances, act as a marine sanctuary for striped bass and guard the city against storms.
Heatherwick will be collaborating with landscape architect Mathews Nielson. Read on to learn more about the project.
“New York City’s waterfront provides tremendous opportunities for everything from tourism to outdoor recreation, and Pier55 is the perfect example of how we can tap into that resource to build a more enjoyable city for all,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “Building this new pier will greatly improve the Hudson River Parkland, and I thank the Diller – von Furstenberg family for their generosity and vision in the pursuit of a better New York.”
“Hudson River Park has become a destination for millions of New Yorkers from across all five boroughs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The revitalization and transformation of this pier into a vibrant arts and community space will bring new energy and new visitors to our waterfront.”
The wooded, offshore park will feature three outdoor performance spaces, including a 800-seat amphitheater. Visitors will be provided access via two dock-like pathways that connect back to an extended, publicly-funded esplanade that will run from Bloomfield Street to 14th Street.
Construction of the 2.7-acre Pier55 is expected to commence in 2016.
News via Heatherwick Studio and the NYTimes.
