Join me, a Utah landscape architect, as I continue my journey through New York City, exploring its public spaces through the lens of culture, nature, and place. In this post, I’ll discuss Brooklyn Bridge Park. A prime example of urban redevelopment, the park attempts to merge bustling city life with tranquil natural settings.
An Example of Successful Waterfront Redevelopment
Spanning 85 acres along Brooklyn’s East River waterfront, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great example of urban waterfront redevelopment and adaptive landscape reuse. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), the park’s phased construction began in 2008, with significant portions opening gradually from 2010 through 2021. This expansive public landscape reclaimed formerly industrial piers and vacant waterfront land, transforming them into a linear sequence of recreational and natural spaces.
Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo taken by Shalae Larsen)
While exploring this park, I was charmed by the sense of discovery fostered by the linear pathways between waterfront spaces. Designers thoughtfully organized the park around a series of reclaimed industrial piers, each hosting a unique function, such as sports fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, and performance spaces. This delineation of primary use encourages visitors to experience each space as its own destination. Clear thematic structuring like this helps create positive adjacencies and intuitive navigation, inviting exploration and prolonged engagement.
Pathways winding through Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo taken by Shalae Larsen)
Challenges: Connectivity and Cohesiveness
However, despite these thoughtful organizational strategies, the park’s spatial qualities occasionally felt disjointed, somewhat less cohesive than I anticipated. The transitions between spaces and piers was abrupt at times, affecting the overall continuity of the park experience. Additionally, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) severely limits direct connectivity between the park and adjacent neighborhoods. In response to these challenges, the City of New York is reportedly collaborating with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) Architects to craft potential solutions as part of the future BQE reconstruction. These efforts could dramatically improve park integration with surrounding communities.
Beach Volleyball courts at Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo taken by Shalae Larsen)
Challenges: Maintenance
I also observed the visible aging of some early park phases. Shoreline features and water access ramps show the impact of wave action, raising important questions about long-term durability and maintenance strategies. As landscape architects, we must continuously balance aesthetics and usability with resilient engineering solutions. My visit to the park left me wondering:
- What alternative engineering methods might better withstand the challenges of tidal forces?
- Might proactive, scheduled maintenance and eventual replacement need to become integrated into the park’s overall management and maintenance plans?
Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo taken by Shalae Larsen)
Conclusion
Despite these challenges, Brooklyn Bridge Park undeniably represents an ambitious and valuable example of urban waterfront revitalization. It successfully transforms industrial relics into vibrant public spaces, demonstrating the promise and complexities of designing resilient urban landscapes. As more cities look to reclaim industrial waterfronts, this park provides critical insights into the importance of connectivity, thematic organization, and long-term stewardship.
View of the East River from Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo taken by Shalae Larsen)
