In a striking fusion of resilience and design, AECOM and Thomas Phifer and Partners have reimagined Robert F. Wagner Park in Lower Manhattan. Originally completed in 1996, the 3.5-acre waterfront park has now been transformed to withstand the escalating threat of rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
As part of the Battery Park City Resiliency Program, AECOM implemented advanced flood mitigation and stormwater management systems, while Thomas Phifer and Partners designed the Wagner Park Pavilion, a striking concrete structure marked by arched vaults and a vivid red hue. Perched above two sloped terraces, the fully electrified, combustion-free pavilion houses community and dining spaces, classrooms, and a rooftop viewing deck.
The park integrates native landscaping, dark-sky compliant lighting, and urban heat reduction strategies, while reusing salvaged materials from the original site. Beneath its expansive lawn lies a concealed flood wall designed to protect the area from 100-year-storm events like Hurricane Sandy.
Thomas Phifer described the redesign as “an important urban waterfront park, reimagined with sustainability and resiliency at the heart of our design vision.” Soon, public artworks by Tony Cragg, Louise Bourgeois, Jill Burkee, and Giancarlo Biagi will enhance the site’s cultural dimension.
The redevelopment marks a key milestone in the North/West Battery Park City Resiliency Project, which will extend north toward Tribeca to further safeguard Manhattan’s waterfront communities against climate change.
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