Photo Tour of Harlem River Park Design the Edge Project

Planning for the Harlem River Park Design the Edge Project began with a workshop adjacent to the park in East Harlem, a landscape architect and a planner, marine engineer, marine biologist, and environmental artists, joined with MWA, the Harlem River Park Task Force, community members, and other interested citizens and professionals to develop a series of ideas specific to the Harlem River conditions. Along with input from Community Boards 10 and 11, elected officials, community organizations, tenant groups and other residents of East Harlem, the Parks design team developed a range of solutions based on many of the ideas, issues, and concerns raised in the workshop. Plastic models of three prototypes of porous shorelines were tested in a wave tank so that the effect of the shoreline shape and alignment of water flow and velocity could be analyzed.

Early designs of the Harlem River Park edge began by looking at cross-sections of a typical Harlem River section and then augmenting the preexisting structure with the sustainable Design the Edge Criteria.

Typical Section Harlem River

Concept 3 Section Harlem River

Rendering of Design Harlem River

Site visits of the Harlem River Park in March 2008 showed signs of progress and allowed members of local civic groups to see the step by step construction of their new ecologically upgraded river edge.

The Harlem River Park was completed in May 2009 and is now an essential community park, with easy acces into the park and onto the water. All completed Harlem River Park Photos are courtesy of Thomas Lunke of the Harlem Community Development Corporation.