Climate - Adaptive Waterfront Park, Hudson, NY
Henry Hudson Riverfront Park
A climate-adaptive design for Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, funded by The New York Department of Environmental Conservation / Hudson River Estuary Program & NEIWPCC. The Hudson Valley Collaborative (HVC) consultant team is Assemblage, youarethecity, and eDesign Dynamics.
Henry Hudson Riverfront Park is a 7 acre park situated along the Hudson River in the City of Hudson, NY. Assemblage, as a member of the HVC, led the team in the investigation and redesign of an existing park that is heavily impacted by flooding that will be exacerbated by sea level rise in the near future. of with enriched and active recreational shoreline. The resulting framework plan will adapt to sea level rise, regenerate the shoreline’s intertidal ecology, and maintain waterfront recreational access that is critical to the Hudson community.
Adaptation to climate challenges underpins the design process. With a projected 54” rise in sea level projected to occur by the year 2080, the design team proposed a plan that is responsive to advancing water. Primary among these measures is expanding the park to higher ground by transforming underutilized gravel lots into green recreational spaces before the water breaches the existing shoreline. Additionally, planning for successful wetland migration into the park and trading out paved shoreline walkways for raised boardwalks are key strategies.
A rigorous community engagement process produced four main goals to inform the design outcomes: ‘‘Expand the Park’, ‘Prioritize Pedestrians’, ‘Enhance Nature’, and ‘Design For Inclusion’. With these goals in place, the plan proposed new accessible pathways, a fishing pier and knoll, a terraced amphitheater, new water access points, and biodiverse plant typologies. The plan envisions a solution for present and future generations to enjoy the waterfront.
‘Expand the Park’ is one of the climate-adaptive design goals for the new park. Expanding to higher ground now will create more land-based recreation space, and aquatic recreation opportunities will also expand as the river advances.
