PRESENTATION

ON
BATTERY PARK CITY

SUHANA DHUNGANA
SHIWANI KHATRI
ROSHAN BOHARA
LOCATION

BATTERY PARK
CITY

Battery park city is located at the

southwestern tip of Manhattan. it is bounded
by west street to the east, and the Hudson
river to the north, south, and west.
HISTORY
Late 19th - early 2oth centuries:
• “Little Syria”
• Bustling area, home to various ethnic
groups

192o’s-3o’s:
•“Battery tower”
•$50 million residential project, meant to
serve wall street workers
•Construction started but never finished

195o’s:
•Dilapidated shipping piers

196o’s:
•Landfill project proposed
HISTORY Late 196o’s:
• Landfill project begins - material
includes excavated land from
World trade center and other
nearby developments

1976:
• Landfill complete
HISTORY
HISTORY
A TEMPORARY BEACH
HISTORY
A PLACE FOR ART

AGNES DENES, WHEATFIELD - A CONFRONTATION, NANCY RUBINS, SCULPTURE MADE

1982 FROM FOUND OBJECTS, 1980
HISTORY 1966:
• Governor Nelson Rockefeller unveils
proposal for would eventually become battery
park city
• Architect Wallace K. Harrison (Rockefeller
center) design calls for ‘comprehensive
community’ consisting of housing, social
infrastructure and light industry
• Landscaping to be done by m. Paul Friedberg

1968:
•New York state legislature creates battery
park city authority
(Bpca) to oversee development

1969:
•Original master plan unveiled
ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN - Design features:
1969 • Large commercial complex to the south
• Residential areas to the north
• Large retail mall running north to south on the
east side
Issues with the plan:
• Overly rigid, large scale development format
• Overly complicated planning and
development controls
• Financial stability of bpca (lack of
development/interest on debt)
• Uncertainty surrounding infrastructure to be
provided by bpca, and the west way project
• Lack of an initial developer
Outside forces:
• Evolution in the field of urban planning /
design
• Changing market factors
• Developments in lower Manhattan
MODERNIST URBAN PLANNING
LE CORBUSIER - PLAN VOISIN
RESPONSE
Jane Jacobs - death and life of great American cities

Emphasis on traditional
elements:
• Interconnected sidewalks and
street networks
• Neighborhoods
• Parks
• Short urban blocks
• High density
• Mix of building types, use, age
RESPONSE
KEVIN LYNCH - IMAGE OF THE CITY
City “imageability”:
5 year study of Boston, jersey city, and Los
Angeles. Sought to understand how people
take in information about the city environment
and create “mental maps” of the city.
The elements of these mental maps include:
• Paths
• Edges
• Districts
• Nodes
• Landmarks
Traditional urban elements = high
imageability
modernist developments = low
imageability
ORIGINAL DESIGN PROPOSAL
• Massive interconnected
Conklin & rossant w/ Philip Johnson
commercial towers
• 7 story service spine running north
to south across the entire site along
the east side, containing shops,
restaurants, schools, parks, rapid
transit, utilities, public and
recreational facilities
• Futuristic design
CHANGES 1969 -
1979 Financial crisis:
• Begins in 1975, residential development
slows
• More cautious attitudes toward
development
World trade center completed:
• Huge amount of workers added to
lower Manhattan
• Train access via path to new jersey
New residential lofts downtown:
• More people living in the area, new
residential character
Westway still uncertain:
• No real changes had yet occurred
• Future access to the site unclear
REVISED MASTER PLAN -
1979

DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
1.Not a self contained town-in-town, but part of
lower Manhattan
REVISED MASTER
PLAN - 1979

Streets + blocks should be an extension of

lower Manhattan's system of streets and blocks
Revised master plan
- 1979

Land use
1.Active and varied waterfront amenities
2.Less idiosyncratic, more recognizable +
understandable form
REVISED MASTER
PLAN - 1979

Vehicular circulation
1.Not a self contained town-in-town, but part of
Circulation should emphasize ground level
2.Reproduce and improve upon what works in
NYC neighborhoods
REVISED MASTER
PLAN - 1979

Pedestrian circulation
1.Commercial center should be the central
focus
REVISED MASTER PLAN - 1979

Special places
1.Commercial center should be the central focus
2.Land use and development controls flexible
enough to adjust to future market requirements
BATTERY PARK
CITY TODAY

URBAN DESIgN
PRESENTATION
PLAN OVERVIEW
Similarities to the 1979
plan:
• Central commercial area
• Residential areas to the
north and south Differences:
• Large amounts of open • Cultural uses added at
south end
RESIDENTIAL
space -Museum of Jewish
COMMERCIAL
• Focus on the waterfront
CIVIC /
• Focal points realized heritage
CULTURAL
-Skyscraper museum
-South cove
• Civic uses at north end
-Rector place
-Stuyvesant high
-North cove plaza
-Chambers street park school
-Ps 89 liberty
-Is 289 Hudson river
middle school
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

BUILDINGS LANDS
CAPE

CIRCULATION WAYFINDING
/ SIGNAGE
BUILDINGS

RESIDE COMME
NTIAL RCIAL

CULT ART /
URAL MEMORIA
RESIDENTIAL Characteristics
BUILDINGS • Materials:
-Brick used prominently
-Glass is limited
-Master plan guidelines mandated that all
residential buildings use red brick, and
limited glazing to 30% of the elevation
• Various scales across site
-South end, particularly by the water, lower
to the ground, smaller scale
-North end larger scale
• Heavy emphasis on tying residential
buildings to the landscape
-Waterfront connection
-Buildings around park
• South end tied into street + block layout
• North end clustered around parks
RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS
 Characteristics
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
• No brick, glass and stone prominently featured
-Contrast w/ residential buildings
• Large scale structures, concentrated at center
of site
-Office towers clustered together
-Large mall at ground level connecting
towers
-Relationship with adjacent world trade
center
• Connection to landscape still apparent
-Plaza between buildings
-Waterfront connection
• Elevated circulation paths between structures
-No need to reach ground level
-Bridge over west street connection to wtc
COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS
CULTURAL BUILDINGS
Characteristics
• Materials vary
• Small scale structures at south end
of site
-Relationship with adjacent battery
park
• Connection to landscape strongly
emphasized
-Buildings in a park
-Waterfront connection
• All circulation via parks and
waterfront paths
CULTURAL BUILDINGS
ART /
MEMORIALS
Characteristics
• Materials vary
• Small scale structures spread
across site
• Connection to adjacent buildings
and landscapes emphasized
• Meant to enhance the experience
of the public realm
• Brings tourists and other
passersby to the site
ART / MEMORIALS
LANDSCAPE
Softscape characteristics:
• Natural feel, not overly manicured
• Connection to water emphasized wherever
possible
• Winding paths, connections between buildings
• Playgrounds, fields, and recreation areas
SOFTS
distributed across the site for more active use
CAPE
Hardscape characteristics:
• Standard concrete and asphalt paths limited to
eastern side of
The site and heavy auto circulation routes
• Various paving materials used throughout site
• Smaller scale pavers used in residential areas
HARDSCAPE • Larger scale pavers used in commercial areas
SOFTSCAPE
HARDSCAPE
CIRCULATION  Characteristics
High speed movement (cars, bikes, running
paths) on east side of
 Site near west street
Low speed movement (pedestrian paths,
small streets) on west wide of site near the
water
Pedestrian paths emphasized, particularly
on the water
Street grid of lower manhattan continued
onto site, car access limited to streets
Ground level circulation is primary
Pedestrian bridges included over west
street and between commercial buildings
HIGH SPEED CIRCULATION
LOW SPEED CIRCULATION
WAYFINDING / SIGNAGE

Characteristics
• Similar forms, materials, + graphics
used across all sign types
• Helps reinforce the battery park city
identity, or “brand”
• Visual cues let you know where on the
site you are
WAYFINDING / SIGNAGE
CONNECTIVITY:

 Although Battery Park City is well

serviced by buses that traverse
within the site, there is no direct
subway connection. One must alight
off at Battery Park Station in the
south or other stations just across
the West Street and then walk to
their home/place of work.
 One advantage to this seemingly
disadvantage is that the site is not
reduced to the status of a thorough
fare.
Landscape Development

An outstanding feature of the

Battery City park is the high
percentage of open areas it
allows for while providing for
sufficient floor area as well.
The site is home to about 35
acres of parks which act as
community and recreational
spaces.
Battery Park City Landmarks and Cultural
Institution
1. Brookfield Place
 Formerly the World Financial Center,
Brookfield Place is a dynamic plaza
with a abundant of high-end retail,
renowned restaurants, and corporate
office space.
 Its vast grounds, contemporary
design, convenient shopping, and
waterfront dining make it one of
downtown Manhattan’s most popular
cultural and commercial destinations.
2. Castle Clinton National Monument
 Built as a naval fort in the early 1800s to
prevent a British invasion, this site later
became the first immigration station
welcoming over 8 million people into the
United States during the second half of the
19th century.
 Today, the fort is open to the public,
displays historical exhibits, and houses the
Statue of Liberty’s ticket office and ferry
service catering to over 3 million visitors
each year.
3. South Cove
•Completed in 1987, this waterfront, multi-level retreat is a carved-out cove that
connects the city with the edge of the Hudson River.
4. Esplanade Plaza
 This pedestrian pathway attracts
residents, tourists, and recreation
enthusiasts.
 It’s a popular spot for walking,
running, sunbathing, biking,
Frisbee, and sports with lots of lawn
and a laid-back vibe.
5. Irish Hunger Memorial
 This unique, elevated memorial
captures the breathtaking Irish
countryside
 The monument conveys the
permanent effects the crisis had on
Ireland’s politics, demographics,
and culture.
6. Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living
Memorial to the Holocaust
 A powerful and riveting remembrance of the
lives lost in the Holocaust, the museum
celebrates and conveys the Jewish culture from
centuries ago to today.
7. The National September 11 Memorial Museum
 Built in 2006 on the former site where the Twin
Towers stood, this meaningful museum exhibits
artifacts, images, and personal stories of sorrow,
sympathy, and courage.
 Outside the museum is continuous waterfall pools
bordered by bronze and engraved with the names of
nearly 3,000 victims
8. North Cove Yacht Harbor
 Renovated in 2016, the North Cove
Marina at Brookfield Place offers floating
docks, multiple slips, and picturesque
harbor views
9.Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park
 This park, named for the former NYC
deputy mayor, city planner, and Board of
Education president,
 offers panoramic views of the city, the
river, and the Statue of Liberty
10. Rockefeller Park
 The dog-friendly park contains fresh
gardens, basketball courts, ping pong
tables, public art and sculptures, and
the serene Lily Pond and its waterfall.
Primary Guidelines
 Reflect changing conditions. Enact comprehensive zoning changes to address the
dramatic changes that have taken place in recent decades, and to prepare the
communities for the twenty-first century.
 Promote housing opportunities. Capitalize on vacant and underused land for new
housing development, addressing both local and citywide needs.
 Address neighborhood context. New development should fit in with its
surroundings, building on the strong character of the existing neighborhoods.
 Create a continuous waterfront walkway and maximize public access to the
waterfront.
 Establish a blueprint for a revitalized, publicly accessible East River waterfront.
 Facilitate development that will reconnect the neighborhood to the waterfront
Problems of Battery Park City
 Resiliency to Climate Change:
Battery Park City is vulnerable to the effects of climate change,
particularly sea-level rise and storm surges. As a low-lying
waterfront neighborhood, it faces the risk of flooding during
extreme weather events. Efforts to enhance resiliency through
infrastructure improvements and flood mitigation measures are
ongoing, but they require significant investment and planning.
 Affordability:
Despite its desirable location and amenities, Battery Park City has
a reputation for being one of the most expensive neighborhoods in
New York City. The high cost of living, including housing prices
and amenities, can make it inaccessible to many residents,
contributing to socioeconomic disparities within the community.
 OUTCOME:
 Battery Park City Development: Battery Park City, a neighborhood adjacent to the
park, has seen extensive development over the years. It was planned as a mixed-use
community with residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. The design
emphasizes green spaces, pedestrian-friendly areas, and waterfront access.
 Waterfront Redevelopment: Efforts have been made to revitalize and improve the
waterfront areas around Battery Park, providing scenic views of the harbor and the
Statue of Liberty. Promenades, esplanades, and other amenities aim to make the
waterfront more accessible and enjoyable for residents and visitors.
 Public Art and Sculptures: Battery Park features various public art installations and
sculptures, contributing to the cultural and aesthetic aspects of the area. These artworks
add to the overall urban design, creating engaging and visually appealing spaces.
 OUTCOME:

 Resilience and Sustainability: Given its proximity to the waterfront, resilience and
sustainability have been important considerations in the urban design of Battery Park.
Measures to address sea-level rise, storm surges, and other environmental factors are
likely incorporated into the design plans.
 Transportation Integration: The park is well-connected to public transportation,
including subway and bus services. Integrating these transportation options enhances
accessibility and connectivity for both residents and visitors.
 Recreational Spaces: Battery Park provides recreational spaces for the community,
including playgrounds, sports facilities, and open green areas. These spaces are designed
to cater to various age groups and interests.
Problems of Battery Park City
 Limited Green Space:
While Battery Park itself offers ample green space, the surrounding
Battery Park City neighborhood is relatively dense, with limited
open areas for recreation and relaxation. As the population
continues to grow, there is a need for additional parks and green
spaces to meet the needs of residents and visitors alike.
 Transportation Accessibility:
Battery Park City is somewhat isolated from the rest of Manhattan,
with limited public transportation options compared to other
neighborhoods. While ferry service and several subway lines serve
the area, residents and visitors may face challenges accessing other
parts of the city, particularly during peak commuting hours or on
weekends.
Problems of Battery Park City
 Community Integration:
Despite its prime location, Battery Park City
can sometimes feel disconnected from the
surrounding neighborhoods. The area's layout,
dominated by residential and commercial
developments, may hinder opportunities for
community interaction and cohesion. Efforts
to promote inclusivity and community
engagement are essential to fostering a sense
of belonging among residents and visitors
alike.
THANK YOU