Sunken Madison Square Park transforms a segment of Manhattan's historic green space into an underground sanctuary that fuses nature with the urban environment. Led by Yang Fei, Founder of Field Object Lab, in collaboration with Mengyu Zhao and Chengzhe Zhang, the project integrates artificial intelligence as a key design tool. Utilizing platforms like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, the team translates initial written concepts into dynamic visual interpretations. This iterative process, guided by AI, shapes a cohesive architectural language that forms the project’s foundation. By training a specialized architectural LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) model, they achieve precise visual outputs aligned with the park’s spatial narrative.

With the core concept established, the focus shifts to refining the park’s spatial layout and circulation. Drawing from real site data, the team creates black-and-white line drawings that serve as control nets, converting abstract ideas into precise, site-specific elements. This AI-driven approach enables rapid adjustments, allowing the team to efficiently fine-tune massing models and spatial organization.

Situated beneath Manhattan’s bustling streets, the design uncovers a primordial architecture, inviting visitors into a meditative escape from the urban chaos above. The subterranean experience unfolds through cave-like rooms where stone textures, softened light, and the interplay of nature and architecture converge. Stone walls, deliberately rough and unrefined, carry the essence of the earth, blending seamlessly into the park's landscape and evoking a grounding contrast to the city’s steel and concrete.

The architecture unfolds as a journey of excavation, a physical and metaphysical descent into tranquility. Pathways, subtly integrated into the park’s topography, lead visitors into sunken courtyards and inward-facing spaces, where time slows, and the senses engage with the subtleties of texture, light, and sound. The design curates this movement carefully, guiding visitors away from the city's demands and offering moments of stillness.

Visitors are guided along winding pathways into more intimate, introspective spaces, including semi-enclosed courtyards and restrooms, each thoughtfully designed to cultivate a deeper connection with both nature and the self.

By merging advanced AI technology with traditional design principles, Field Object Lab demonstrates how this workflow benefits adaptive reuse projects, offering a precise and efficient method for integrating contemporary ideas within historical contexts.