Manhattan exists as a vibrant and continuously evolving urban fabric made up of circulation corridors that vibrate with varying intensities of movement. Unlike other cities, where the intensity of the urban center spills gradually outward to find relief, Manhattan’s network of forever pumping veins and arteries is strictly confined by a waterfront edge. The Manhattan edge is currently developed as a series of connecting paths and open spaces that unite to form a 32-mile long pedestrian and bicycle path known as the Waterfront Greenway. Unfortunately, this pathway is  fragmented by zones of inaccessibility and obstruction. One key zone, referred to as the “missing link,” divides the Greenway path at East 38th Street and East 60th Street, causing an off-edge detour.

A waterfront link on the edge of bustling Midtown Manhattan is crucial to the overall success of engaging Manhattan residents and visitors with the surrounding water. Herein lies the challenge: creating a pedestrian-accessible waterfront condition that closes the gap in the East River Greenway path while highlighting the goals put forth by the City of New York in various master plans to include enhancing waterway transportation, restoring and improving natural conditions of the site and addressing resilience to sea level rise. The purpose of this design project is to activate the Midtown East River waterfront by creating accessibility and enhancing public spaces for leisure, recreation and circulation.