The site developed for this project is Henry Draper Park in Hastings, NY —a stone’s throw away from the Hudson River. While light and noise pollution are eminent due to the close juxtaposition of the city this community is a part of, the site offers a moment of refuge. Nestled amongst a quiet residential community, the design of a public observatory and research center is encountered through understanding the landscape and its effects on the potential functions of the exterior and interior spaces.

Entering the observatory is meant to feel as though it is an individual experience for pedestrians with pathways from neighboring streets narrowing towards the quarry stone retaining walls that divide the buildings on site.

The three buildings on site, the observatory, planetarium, and exhibition hall, are seemingly separate as they are visually disconnected from one another on the park’s surface. A hidden footbridge under the concrete observation deck joins the observatory to the other two spaces.

The observatory, sitting at the highest point of the site, takes center stage after dusk when visitors and staff take in the view of the night sky from the indoor and outdoor observation areas.