At a new residential development in the Bronx, Starr Whitehouse converted a de-mapped street into a public plaza accessible to residents and the neighborhood alike. The plaza design evokes a winding river, integrating fluid softscape elements with exposed aggregate pavement and rocky outcroppings along a wavy central pathway. The meandering path navigates the site’s... Continue Reading
At a new residential development in the Bronx, Starr Whitehouse converted a de-mapped street into a public plaza accessible to residents and the neighborhood alike. The plaza design evokes a winding river, integrating fluid softscape elements with exposed aggregate pavement and rocky outcroppings along a wavy central pathway. The meandering path navigates the site’s variable grade, connecting building entrances while being entirely ADA accessible. Native riverine plantings, new canopy trees, and rain gardens frame the plaza with nature while offering defense against heat waves and rain events. A new playground for the development’s kindergarten class boasts slides, musical equipment, and a circuit track, encouraging movement in the compact space. Carefully coordinated with agency authorities, the new plaza rests over a maze of existing City sewers, water lines, and private utility lines: the below-ground infrastructure remains while the surface is transformed for community life.
