Project by Violeta Mastronardi
The Hudson Botanical Garden proposes the adaptive reuse of Pier 76 as a year-round, publicly accessible bioclimatic landscape that responds to the West Side’s rapid residential growth, its lack of enclosed civic space, and the need to reduce carbon-intensive demolition. GIS analyses reveal Pier 76 as a highly connected multimodal node surrounded by new housing yet served only by seasonal or privatized waterfront amenities. By transforming the existing pier structure into an indoor botanical promenade, complete with recreational courts, community rooms, reading terraces, and social and cultural programs, the project introduces a daily-use civic interior that complements Hudson River Park’s open-air piers. A retractable shading system and double-skin façade ensure passive environmental performance, establishing the pier as a resilient climatic refuge and a vital public commons for an evolving neighborhood.
