Bushwick Inlet Park

Brooklyn, NY, USA

Credit: Paul Warchol

Landscape Architects: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners

Location: Kent Ave. Between N. 9 St. And N. 12 St. , 11211 Brooklyn, NY, USA
Year: 2013

Bushwick Inlet Park reclaims the abandoned East River shore of Brooklyn for recreation and nature. The first phase of the park, designed by Starr Whitehouse and Kiss + Cathcart Architects, creates a sequence of places arrayed along a generous park promenade to the water. A new field house on Kent Avenue combines park maintenance functions and separate community spaces, while maximizing the public use of the park land: the fully-accessible green roof slopes dramatically to the ground in the west, providing a playground, terraced lawns, and commanding views over the park towards the river and Manhattan. Sustainable systems include in-ground heating loops, photovoltaic electricity, and irrigation with collected site water. A multi-purpose sports field supports year-round community recreation and provides below-ground stormwater storage. At the waterfront a grass knoll echoes the slope of the field house and a terrace of permeable pavement gives a tree-shaded overlook on the shore. The waterfront supports marine and avian life, with an off-shore island, a varied rocky edge, and marsh plantings. A freshwater pool of filtered site storm water and native upland plantings provide shelter, food and drink to migrating birds.