Little Island

New York / USA / 2021

Unique experience on 280 concrete piles

Little Island at Pier 55 is a public park in the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan in New York City. It is a part of Hudson River Park and connected to it by two pedestrian bridges. Little Island covers an area of 0.97 hectares. 280 concrete piles were driven into the Hudson riverbed, on which 132 pot-shaped structures sit. The pots reach a height of 4.6 to 18.9 meters above the water surface. The park features several lawns, pathways and plantings designed by landscape architect Signe Nielsen, MNLA. In addition, Little Island has a small stage and two food kiosks, as well as a 687-seat amphitheater. A unique experience are the sensory stations from Richter Spielgeräte, which are located throughout the park - at the Instrument, the Rotating Discs as well as the Dance Chimes not only children, but also young people and adults like to pause. And not only as a sensory experience, but also technically, these devices are something special: for example, to protect the instrument from vandalism, every evening it is moved on roll some of them to storage under the park.

A little girl moves the rotating disc on a steel post. There is a planted hill with trees providing shade in the background. The sun is shining.

Rotating Disc © Liz-Ligon

A mother and her daughter move a rotating disc mounted on a steel post. A concrete structure, green areas, water and buildings can be seen in the background.

Rotating Disc © Liz-Ligon

A group of people, including children and adults, are standing on a wooden deck by the water. They are gathered around the playground equipment called ‘instrument’. A modern building and architectural structures.

Instrument © Liz-Ligon

Two girls in dresses stand on the Little Island Pier and play on the play equipment called ‘Instrument’. Trees, a modern bridge-like construction and buildings on the opposite side of the water can be seen in the background.

Two children bounce on the dance chimes. A hillside with yellow flowers and steel railings can be seen in the background.

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