Brooklyn-based architecture studio nArchitects has completed two innovative waterfront park pavilions designed to withstand flooding conditions along the Hudson River, with one structure located in Manhattan and another in Hoboken, New Jersey. Both pavilions, finished in 2024, serve as gateways to major waterfront parks while addressing the unique challenges posed by flood-prone riverside locations.
"We wanted the pavilions to feel open with portals that bring you into the parks," explained Mimi Hoang, co-founding partner of nArchitects. The twin structures demonstrate the firm's approach to resilient design while creating community gathering spaces that frame views toward the water and connect pedestrian activities with park programming.
The Gansevoort Peninsula Pavilion sits on the western side of Manhattan, projecting into the Hudson River as part of the 5.65-acre Gansevoort Peninsula Park. Designed for the Hudson River Park Trust, this park transforms a former mercantile and industrial site previously owned by the Department of Sanitation. The concrete structure consists of three interlinked volumes under a dramatic canopy that features strategic cuts allowing sunlight to reach the planted roofs below.
Working with Field Operations on landscape design, the park revitalizes the last remaining stretch of 12th Avenue with amenities including a beach, kayak launch, sports field, salt marsh, boardwalk, and open community spaces. The pavilion's design draws inspiration from the original installation's large cuts into a dilapidated warehouse, with nArchitects creating similar geometric forms and light effects by subtracting sections from the pavilion canopy.
The Manhattan pavilion houses three distinct functions: a concession stand, a restroom block, and a utility hub serving the nearby Little Island designed by Heatherwick Studio. Wrapped in ultra-high-performance concrete with a perforated rainscreen, the structure intentionally lacks interior gathering space, instead creating a series of portals between volumes that frame water views and connect the eastern pedestrian and bike promenade with western park activities.
Distinctive orange-painted windows and flood doors give the pavilion a striking appearance, and when illuminated at night, the structure glows amber from within. This color scheme reinforces the building's identity while serving practical flood-resistance functions, as all glazing was specifically selected to withstand hydrostatic forces from potential floodwaters.
Across the river in Hoboken, the ResilienCity Park Pavilion represents New Jersey's largest public park at 5.4 acres, developed in collaboration with Philadelphia-based Olin Studio. Positioned on the park's highest point, this pavilion offers panoramic views of surrounding sports fields, passive play spaces, the neighborhood, and the nearby Palisades Park. The elevated location provides both aesthetic and practical benefits for flood management.
The New Jersey pavilion features an oversized canopy made of corrugated, perforated stainless steel that creates a porch-like environment sheltering two volumes containing a flexible community room and cafe space. These volumes are clad in a vertical granite rainscreen that provides both durability and visual appeal. Circular openings cut into the canopy allow plants to climb thin columns onto the roof, creating what Hoang called "Dr. Seuss trees" that integrate the structure with the broader landscape design.
"This is the gateway, rather than the jewel of the park," Hoang emphasized, highlighting the importance of spaces between volumes for community building and programming. The design prioritizes the social aspects of the architecture, creating flexible areas that can accommodate various community activities and events throughout the year.
Both pavilions incorporate sophisticated flood-resistance features reflecting their challenging riverside locations. Window sills are elevated above flood elevation levels, and all glazing systems are engineered to withstand significant water pressure. The ResilienCity Park goes further, sitting atop water detention tanks capable of holding one million gallons of stormwater, with an additional 750,000 gallons retained in the park's soft surfaces.
These projects represent part of nArchitects' broader portfolio of waterfront and resilient design work. The firm has previously completed other notable waterfront projects including a mass timber nature center set in Long Island's sand dunes and the revitalization of Chicago's century-old Navy Pier in collaboration with James Corner Field Operations.
The Gansevoort Peninsula Park project involved a comprehensive team including Field Operations as prime landscape architect, Silman as structural engineer, Plus Group for MEP engineering, HLB as lighting consultant, and Front as facade consultant. The ResilienCity Park project featured ELP as prime civil and environmental engineer, OLIN as landscape architect, Silman for structural engineering, OLA Consulting Engineers for MEP systems, and Lumen Architecture for lighting design.
These twin pavilions demonstrate how contemporary architecture can address climate resilience while creating vibrant community spaces. By designing structures that embrace their flood-prone conditions rather than simply resisting them, nArchitects has created landmarks that serve both practical and social functions for their respective communities along the Hudson River corridor.
