Can riverfront infrastructure be repurposed for recreation?
Competition Launch: March 1997
Responding to a wave of development and investment in the Hudson River waterfront, Van Alen Institute joined with the Hudson River Park Conservancy and the Young Architects Group of the AIA New York Chapter in 1997 to launch a competition for a “Sun Shelter” at Pier 54. The program challenged designers to focus on the constructional and material aspects of a structure to be located within a planned waterfront park, and that could support passive recreational use and foster individual or collective activities including sitting, viewing, reading and conversing.
jurors
Michael Bradley, Property Manager, HRPC
Edward Kirkland, Hudson River Park Historical Working Group
Guy Nordenson, Structural Engineer
Peter Rothschild, Landscape Architect
Adrian Smith, Project Manager, HRPC
Henry Smith-Miller, Architect
Tod Williams, FAIA, Architect
First Prize $2,000
Scott Habjan (New York, NY)
Second Prize $1,000
Martha Skinner and Douglas Hecker (New York, NY)
Third Prize $500
Christopher Bardt and Kyna Leski, Studio 360° (Providence, RI)
honorable mentions
William Sharples, Chris Sharples, Corie Sharples, Gregg Pasquarelli, Craig M. Schwitter and Andre Chaszar (New York, NY)
Matthew Baird and Betty Chen (New York, NY)
Marissa Tempone and Scott Demel (New York, NY)
Robert Westling and Brad Cronk (Maplewood, NJ)
Philippe Baumann and Karl Jensen (New York, NY)
Resources
Sponsors
Hudson River Park Conservancy
Young Architects Group of the AIA New York Chapter
Van Alen Institute
RELATED PROGRAMS
October 7, 1997: Forum, “Gimme Shelter.” Panel discussion with the jurors about concepts and themes in the competition submissions.