PLAZA AT 800 FIFTH AVENUE

Location: New York, New York
Client: Spitzer Enterprises

The impetus for the project was the renewal of a dated and leaking waterproofing system for the underground parking garage, which occurs below the plaza level. MKW designed a series of lightweight pre-cast concrete planter wall sections, a kit of parts that can be strategically manipulated to respond to existing site constraints and comply with the tight loading parameters of the structural design. A contrasting spillway wall, reminiscent of the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragan, with shallow basin acts as the focal point for the plaza while a bold planting palette, artistically juxtaposed against the structured system, connotes an abstract quality to the landscape which is intended to be primarily appreciated by residents in the residential tower above as well as the surrounding residential town homes and the Pierre Hotel to the south.