We are thrilled to share that Industry City, Waterline Square, the National Veteran’s Resource Center, and The Stavros Niarchos Foundation-David Rockefeller River Campus at The Rockefeller University are finalists in several categories in the ULI New York Awards for Excellence. The awards recognize projects that enhance the sustainability, viability, and vitality of their communities - which directly echo several of our firm's core values. MNLA is proud to have collaborated with each project team, providing landscape architecture services. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eaZgwAy

MNLA's redesign of Bogardus Plaza in Manhattan officially opened to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 27. The 18,000-square-foot plaza made permanent the closing of Hudson Street between Chambers Street and Reade Street. It features over 800 square feet of recycled plastic lumber, 13 granite egg shaped seats with anti-graffiti coating, 80 chairs, 22 tables and 55 feet of benches. New plantings feature more than 800 bulbs, 700 perennials and ground cover, 600 ferns and grasses, and 200 shrubs. The plaza was created as part of a $7.4 million capital project that was funded by NYC DOT, elected officials and private donors and was managed by NYC DDC.

Little Island, the new 2.4-acre urban park and performance venue situated above the Hudson River in New York City officially opens to the public today. Owned by the Hudson River Park and designed by Heatherwick Studio and the New York-based landscape architecture firm MNLA, the opening of Little Island is the culmination of over 8 years of planning, development and construction.

MNLA collaborated with Heatherwick Studio to realize the park, its circulation system, and to design performance spaces including an open plaza for recreational and educational programs, as well as leading the design of the comprehensive landscape. Using the team’s 3D model, we were able to effectively determine the layers of gravel, geofoam and soils that make up the surficial topography.

“Little Island is a special place that affords New Yorkers the rare opportunity to experience a multi-sensory landscape. As one strolls through the park many destinations beckon—overlooks with unparalleled views, cultural venues with continually changing offerings, sloping lawns for picnics, and seating nooks with contemplative sights. Each of these is engulfed by a unique landscape that transitions from a rich diversity of colors and textures to open grasslands as one ascends the three hills. My hope is that visitors are surprised and delighted each time they come. This has been an amazing journey that could not have been realized without the entire design team’s extraordinary collaboration, and I especially appreciate the dedication of our firm’s Senior Associate Dan Yannaccone.”

-Signe Nielsen, MNLA Founding Principal

Additional information and visuals can be found here, here, and here

MNLA's Principal Emerita Kim Mathews, RLA, FASLA  recently spoke with Scenic Hudson about her planning and design work for West Point Foundry Preserve in Cold Spring, NY as part of their new #MeetTheMakers series. Please click through to read more.