Since it’s opening on September 16th, the Jean Nouvel acrylic encasement and historic Jane’s Carousel has become a landmark in the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park for New York families. The welcoming public pavilion offers spectacular views of the East River, the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, and the Manhattan skyline.
Continue reading for more detailed information and images.
The transparent jewel box centers Jane’s Carousel within a 72’ x 72’ x 27’ volume, directly beneath a circular skylight of equal diameter. The structure is supported by four, two foot diameter cylindrical steel columns set back 6-1/2 feet from the facades and tied together by four steel beams. A six foot high, concrete cellar raises the carousel floor above the flood line and serves as a passive ventilation device to cool down the building.
The East and West facades consist of seven fixed panels made of 4-1/2 inch thick, self-supporting acrylic panels cantilevering from the ground. The North and South facades consist of eighteen steel and acrylic operable doors that fold open from the center, framing the view of the North and South portions of the river. The roof is made up of insulated glass units supported by a cable and steel structure, mimicking the structural characteristics of the carousel.
A simple interior of grey concrete flooring, 3″ polished aluminum ceiling strips and a curved tempered low iron glass guardrail focuses the attention onto the colorful details of the carousel. Delicately placed, wood furniture matches the carousel’s platform and reinforces its playful spirit. At sunset, four recessed screens blanket the facades, transforming the pavilion into a lantern that projects a lightshow of distorted shadows.
Jean Nouvel’s desires have been met, as the pavilion has become a “fragile little monument in the city.”
For more historical information and detailed images, click here.
The hours of operation for Spring/Summer occur April 6th to November 5th, from 11:00am to 7:00pm and closed Tuesdays. The Fall/Winter hours of operation begin November 6th and last until April 5th, operating Thursday through Sunday between 11:00am and 6:00pm.
Tickets cost $2.00 per ride.
