Though it remains to be seen whether Dutch architect Ben van Berkel's first announced New York City project will get built, we now have the details of his second NYC creation?and the prospects are sunnier. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Dutch's settling of Manhattan, van Berkel's UNStudio firm has designed the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion?a permanent addition to Battery Park's Peter Minuit Plaza that's designed to be an "outdoor living room" (or easily-identifiable meeting point for tourists near the Staten Island Ferry).
Commissioned by a partnership between the Dutch government and the Battery Conservancy, the "Plein" will be a 5,000-square-foot stone-paved platform with UNStudio-designed seating and tables and various homages to the Dutch's history in Manhattan. At the center will be the flower-shaped "Pavilion," which will be equipped with a snack bar, tourist kiosk and an LED-adorned facade that will create a color-shifting light show at night. Look for the Plein & Pavilion to be finished at the end of the year, barring a war with Holland.
· Celebrated Dutch Architect Ben van Berkel to Design New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion in New York City [Battery Conservancy]
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