November 16, 2023

MASterworks Best in Urban Landscape Award

The Battery Playscape was bestowed the 2023 Best in Urban Landscape Award by MASNYC. Past winners include Little Island and Pier 26 at Hudson River Park. It was designed by BKSK and Starr Whitehouse to educate children through play. The park is divided into 5 eco-zones based on New York State ecology. As they explore the park, children encounter structures and plantings that evoke native flora and landmasses. but it also re-routes water, in case of flooding, setting the bar for similar projects around the world.

UPDATE!: The ultimate test of the of the water routing and controlled release to the City sewar system came on Friday, September 29, when NYC got a month’s worth of rain in a matter of hours. The design worked perfectly as water was guided to the plants and Riverbed area before being absorbed into the sand below ultimately landing in a water retention tank and being released to the City system slowly.

Organized by MAS, an exploration of the playscape was held to celebrate the MASterworks award for 2023 Best Urban Landscape. Joan Krevlin and Harpreet Dhaliwal of BKSK was joined by Jeffrey Poor of Starr Whitehouse, our partners in this creation, to tell the story of how this innovative play area came to life.

On November 8th we met at the Center for Architecture to receive our award and speak to attendees, along with other project winners about our project in a casual presentation and panel setting. What a great event to cap the experience of being honored by the Municipal Arts Society.