8.10.09 | New York, NY | The Hudson River Park Trust has recently announced the winning design for New York City’s Pier 57, a long floating pier built on concrete caissons in 1952.  The pier, located in Chelsea at West 15th Street and West Street on the western edge of the Meat Packing District, is part of the Hudson River Park development. long floating pier built on concrete caissons in 1952.  YoungWoo & Associates, with New York architects LOT-EK designed the rooftop carpark crowning a small city of local artisans working out of shipping containers.

The Hudson River Park board and community advocates selected the design because of its economic feasibility, emphasis on the arts, innovative mix of uses and the fact that it generated fewer vehicular trips. The board scrutinised YoungWoo and LOT-EK's approach to historic preservation, in particular their balance between transforming the pier and preserving it, adding transparency, light and greenery while remaining true to the pier's industrial history. The pier’s basic structure will be preserved, with layers of containers holding a mix of studio, retail and community spaces.  Many of the small spaces will be rented to local artisans as a way to bring in revenue and give the pier street-credibility and community ties.  The proposal’s emphasis on creating a niche for local artists and fusing an innovative mix of uses offers an attractive solution for the site.