Pier 26 Hudson River Park

Ecological intervention on New York City's Pier 26 site enhances urban ecology while enabling people to experience and enjoy the rich biodiversity of the Hudson River Estuary.

Situated in the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan, Pier 26 is a 2.5-acre site within Hudson River Park. The future home of the Hudson River Park Trust’s “Estuarium,” a research and education facility devoted to the science of the river and its surrounding environment, the pier has a mission to highlight the regional ecology of the Hudson River Estuary.

Biohabitats prepared site analysis and design services to inform ecological programming. Working closely with the design lead, OLIN, Biohabitats advanced a concept which revolved around a dynamic, gradient experience of the Estuary’s representative habitats, from upland to open water. These features enable visitors to experience, enjoy, and better understand coastal ecology within a highly urban environment.

Biohabitats helped the design team establish ecological goals for the site design and recommended the best alternatives for observing and interacting with the many fauna that are characteristic of the Hudson River Estuary. Many of the design’s proposed habitat features were experiencing disruptive impacts and regional decline, so their representation at Pier 26 provided beneficial ecological function, while also offering people opportunities for extraordinary ecological encounters.