the museum of jewish heritage

The Museum of Jewish Heritage, in the midst of an impressive expansion, required a new landscape to knit the East Wing expansion into the fabric of its surrounding community. The intent was to create a sense of place unique to the museum yet reflective of the larger Hudson River landscape. This provided an opportunity for a new cultural landscape within the Battery Park City district, one that successfully resolves the interface of the design of South Cove, inspired by coastal environments, with the vibrant deconstructionist Wagner Park. Streets were de-mapped and pedestrianized to enhance and enlarge the park, now slightly larger than two acres. The design is inspired by Jewish mysticism, in which creation is seen as an active process. The scheme not only maintains its significance by the adjacency of the museum, but also becomes the mediator between the creation of the natural environment—albeit man-made—and the active creation of Wagner Park.

Location
New York, NY

Owner
The Museum of Jewish Heritage /
Battery Park City Authority

Status
Completed 2007

Key Team Members
Laurie Olin, Partner-in-Charge
Lucinda Sanders, Associate
Hallie Boyce, Associate
Richard Newton, Project Manager

Awards
2008, American Society of Landscape Architects New York Chapter Design Merit Award