NYC'S 'PARKIPELAGOS' THAT ARE DOUBLING AS FLOOD BARRIERS

Text description provided by the architects. The 2.25-mile flood protection system dubbed the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) has reached a major milestone with the opening of key areas of East River Park. Conceived as a "parkipelago" of interconnected parks along the East River waterfront, the project creates a series of elevated green spaces that double as flood barriers while offering new public amenities for the surrounding Lower East Side neighborhood.

Developed under the leadership of the NYC Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) and designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects (MNLA), ONE Architecture & Urbanism, AKRF, and residents of the Lower East Side, ESCR is a $1.45 billion coastal protection initiative spanning Montgomery to East 25th Streets. Following the original 2014 BIG U vision for 10 continuous miles of protective park and public realm in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the project is designed to safeguard more than 110,000 New Yorkers from future storms and tidal flooding.

Located within the FEMA 100-year floodplain, ESCR integrates floodwalls, sliding gates, bridging berms and elevated parkland into an unbroken protective system that shields critical infrastructure - including a major pump station, an electrical substation powering much of Lower Manhattan, and numerous schools and libraries. More than a barrier, ESCR is a model for how infrastructure can double as active and accessible public space - strengthening resilience while enhancing daily life.

Following the completion of ESCR's first phase in 2024, the coastal redevelopment continues with the reopening of several major sections within East River Park around the Williamsburg Bridge. Elevated an average of 8-9 ft to provide vital flood protection, the park has been infused with 600 new trees and over 21,000 shrubs, grasses, and perennials - strengthening the shoreline and enhancing ecological character. The park also features new basketball and tennis courts, picnic and BBQ areas, a multi-use turf field, grassy lawns, dedicated zones for nature exploration and water play, a new amphitheater, an extended esplanade, and two new pedestrian bridges at Delancey Street and Corlears Hook Park.

Standing as the northern gateway to ESCR at East 23rd Street and Avenue C is the new Solar One Environmental Education Center - designed by BIG with the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Gilbane Building Company, TYLin (formerly Silman), Cosentini Associates, MNLA, and others. As the city's first building to include ground-up solar photovoltaics and battery storage, the 6,409-sq-ft timber-clad facility replaces the former Solar One building, which became a vital refuge during Hurricane Sandy by providing solar charging power to local residents when the grid failed south of 34th Street. Today, the two-story center expands Solar One's mission to deliver environmental education, training, and technical assistance across New York City, including flexible classrooms for K-12 STEM educational programming for NYC Public Schools and community events.

Defined by FSC-certified timber slats on the exterior, a roof fully clad in photovoltaic panels, and a battery storage system, the building minimizes the use of concrete - employing the material only at the flood level while incorporating lightweight, recyclable steel in the spaces above. The classrooms are elevated 19 ft above sea level, with ground-level storage areas enclosed by permeable metal grating, allowing water to flow freely during storm events. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping views of the East River, Brooklyn, and Queens, while triple-glazed, bird-friendly glass mitigates sound from the adjacent FDR Drive. The classrooms seamlessly connect to a promenade of connected terraces and gardens within ESCR, creating a real-world learning experience right at the edge of the East River.

The center generates energy via a 21kW solar array with battery storage, allowing it to potentially stay open to support nearby New Yorkers in the event of power outages. As the exclamation point of ESCR, the building neighbors 1,340 ft of new flood barrier wall, sliding flood gates, and flood resilient embankments - resiliency measures implemented to protect neighboring areas from coastal flooding. On track for LEED Silver certification, the Solar One Environmental Education Center stands as both a model for modern flood protection and a learning tool for climate adaptation.

These resiliency efforts continue south, where BIG is also designing the North/West Battery Park City Resiliency Project (NWBPCR) with Turner & EE Cruz Joint Venture, SCAPE Landscape Architecture, and Arcadis - running from South Cove to North Moore Street in Tribeca. Together, these linked initiatives will form a continuous, climate-resilient waterfront that safeguards Lower Manhattan for generations to come.