“From coastal resiliency and sustainable green practices to the preservation of affordable housing, world-class public art, and vibrant, year-round programming in award-winning public spaces, Battery Park City leads the way in many of the measures that makes cities livable."
As the first major public waterfront plaza built on the Hudson River, the Plaza was commissioned by the Battery Park City Authority as part of its public art program, and was conceived as a multi-purpose space, providing the pleasure of variety via a range of open space for individuals, intimate groups, as well as large public gatherings. Starting from the north, there is the wide-open space of the court outside the Winter Garden, with plenty of room for outdoor concerts, lunchtime gatherings, jogging, and other activities. Along the eastern edge of North Cove is seating designed by Scott Burton. Here you can watch the sunset and read passages from Walt Whitman and Frank O’Hara celebrating the exhilarating spirit of New York City, which Siah Armajani designed into the railings along the water. At the southern edge of the plaza is a more intimate park, in direct contrast to the civic scale and atmosphere of the northern part. This relaxing space has benches and tables, which line an oval lawn – perfect for quiet sitting and relaxation.
