What Little Island Can Teach Us About Place Making

One of the main stops on this trip to New York was to look at their newest addition to the Chelsea Market pier.

A pier that was no long ago was falling apart and had become a safety concern, but due to the efforts of philanthropy and public planning, the area has shifted into one of New York City’s best new attractions. Little Island finished its construction during the pandemic. It’s a collection of tulip-like structures that houses

3 amphitheaters and over 200 different types of plant species creating a seaside park.

From a distance, the space seems very contained but from the inside the utilized space makes the park seem massive. Built to withstand the test of time, the park is suspended for future-proofing what will one day be the sea level of the area. With a thousand years in mind, Little Island is made to entertain runners, theatergoers, family outings, and teens with its teen night programming.

Around the park, you will find interactive art pieces and unconventional pathways that make way for the intrusive thoughts we all suppress from childhood into adulthood. Little Island is the epitome of the art of architecture and design.

Watch this interview here for more of Little Island: https://youtu.be/VO0bTZZzRW0 https://littleisland.org/

Continued on page 36