Waterline Square Park is a new civic focal point in an emerging residential district in midtown Manhattan. Organized along the West 60th Street corridor and flanked by the Upper West Side and Hell’s Kitchen neighborhoods, the 2.6 acre park provides a recreational link between Central Park and the parklands along the Hudson River. Waterline Square Park responds to the interface of the Manhattan grid as it meets the expansive edge of the Hudson River. The formality of the surrounding urban grid gives way to Waterline Square Park as it widens out towards the west.
This transition is highlighted by the buildings at Riverside Center which step back to frame the expanding open space, prioritizing pedestrian circulation, view corridors, and public accessibility. The open space is choreographed as a transition from urban streetscape to a park as the topography descends towards the River. A vibrant social hub greets the public at the terminus of West 60th Street, giving way to open areas that serve as the front yard and playspaces for the local residents and surrounding neighborhood. The western end of the park opens up towards the Hudson while sculpting immersive reflective spaces that offer a peaceful respite from the urban bustle.
Waterline Square is the last parcel to be completed of the Riverside Center development. MNLA has been involved with the design and permitting for Riverside Center since 2006, previously working in collaboration with Christian de Portzamparc and Extell Development. Along with the Waterline Square buildings, MNLA has also been involved with construction of the exterior spaces at 1 West End Avenue, 21 West End Avenue and One Riverside Park.