In development by Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group, New York’s Hudson Yards multi-use complex will include the Hudson Yards Public Square—an elevated park designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects.
Hudson Yards Public Square will sit along the High Line and join an interconnected park system on Manhattan’s West Side upon completion.
“Our aspiration for the Public Square at Hudson Yards is that it will become one of the most celebrated gathering places with something for everyone,” says Jay Cross, president of Related Hudson Yards. “We felt it was very important to not only learn from the past, but to also look to the future, and we focused our energy on every detail that makes a great public space an inviting experience. Not only is Hudson Yards creating a new epicenter in Midtown Manhattan, but it also sits at the nexus of a network of parks that will run all the way from the Meatpacking District to Times Square. Twenty years from now we hope that, like Trafalgar Square in London and Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, the Public Square at Hudson Yards will be on the list of the great meeting places of the world.”
The 4.5-acre park will feature smart soil and advanced irrigation supporting more than 28,000 shrubs and 200 trees planted along approximately one mile of pedestrian walkways. Many of the plant species will be locally sourced, native varieties chosen to attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.
“The design of the Public Square at Hudson Yards prompted unprecedented innovation and deep collaboration across disciplines, including soil science, horticulture, and landscape architecture,” says Nelson Byrd Woltz owner Thomas Woltz. “What has emerged is a project that will serve as a model for 21st century urban spaces.”
An onsite, 60,000-gallon reservoir will aid in managing and reusing storm water, while a network of tubing will protect plant roots from soil temperatures by circulating a cooling liquid. Typically a feature used in commercial jet engines, a 15-fan ventilation system will introduce air at 45 MPH to train tracks below to manage heat generated by the moving vehicles.
Upon completion in 2019, Hudson Yards will be able to power itself during outages to ensure basic building services, residences, and restaurants continue running. A fiber loop will support communications, optimize data speed, and facilitate mobile, cellular, and two-way radio communications. The neighborhood will also employ an energy management system to generate, buy, and conserve power.
