When mapping the social infrastructure of lower Manhattan we find it exists, but in pockets of varied size scattered across the area, mostly disconnected from East to West. When the site is fully analyzed a great void surfaces along the East River.  The area from South Ferry up to Pier 11 and over to Water Street is a gaping hole at almost every level of social and physical infrastructure.  Though the east side of Lower Manhattan is heavily damaged during most severe storm events the demand for water front property remains at a constant level. This demand for waterfront property and an extreme shortage of land in Manhattan allows this moment to become an opportunity to satisfy the urgent housing need, sew together this disconnected area of the city, and develop a better defense against water events. Our intervention aims to use housing as a driver to relink Lower Manhattan using public infrastructure, public transit and water infrastructure tools to aid in the cities ever increasing need of Resiliency. This new moment serves as an alternate to Seaport City and a better integrated Battery Park City.  Pier City uses housing as protection, connection and integration.

CREDITS:

Design Team: Tyler Cukar, Zuhal Kuzu, Nasim Amini, Jing Deng