It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: Hudson River Park Trust - Project Partners: Philip Habib Associates, Thornton Tomasetti, JFK&M Engineering, Moffat & Nichol, Tillotson Design Associates, Toshiko Mori Architect, AIP Partners
Pier 97 - New York
Project Info
!melk’s design for Pier 97 stems from an extensive and collaborative interaction with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the local community of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The overall design includes the park on Pier 97, as well as the adjacent upland areas connecting with the larger waterfront park system along the Hudson River.
!melk’s design addresses existing site conditions, including flood plane and stormwater management, multi-modal traffic flow and vehicular access, seasonality and visual interest. Carefully navigating several complex engineering considerations as the park is located on a pre-existing pier structure, the design uniquely establishes microclimate, integrates a native planting palette, and attracts wildlife. In addition, the park features various spaces suited for a variety of events and programming, as well as contemplative and tranquil experiences.
The design vocabulary is based on an interplay between contemporary geometries and elements made with innovative fabrication techniques, that - via meticulous detailing - are intentionally combined with a texture and patina that reflects the pier’s historic port character.
Pier 97 is like no other park in New York City. Both a popular and memorable community destination, it is an immersive place with a unique and recognizable identity intended for “wandering”, “losing sense of time”, and “making memories”. The design encourages circulation through carefully curated paths, based on strategically designed sightlines in order to bring park-goers to specific program and park spaces, including: a custom playground, an activity field, a sloping lawn, a waterfront promenade, a picnic area, flexible gathering areas, and an elevated “belvedere” from where one will encounter spectacular panoramas of the Manhattan skyline and the New York harbor.
!melk’s design for Pier 97 stems from an extensive and collaborative interaction with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the local community of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The overall design includes the park on Pier 97, as well as the adjacent upland areas connecting with the larger waterfront park system along the Hudson River.
!melk’s design addresses existing site conditions, including flood plane and stormwater management, multi-modal traffic flow and vehicular access, seasonality and visual interest. Carefully navigating several complex engineering considerations as the park is located on a pre-existing pier structure, the design uniquely establishes microclimate, integrates a native planting palette, and attracts wildlife. In addition, the park features various spaces suited for a variety of events and programming, as well as contemplative and tranquil experiences.
The design vocabulary is based on an interplay between contemporary geometries and elements made with innovative fabrication techniques, that - via meticulous detailing - are intentionally combined with a texture and patina that reflects the pier’s historic port character.
Pier 97 is like no other park in New York City. Both a popular and memorable community destination, it is an immersive place with a unique and recognizable identity intended for “wandering”, “losing sense of time”, and “making memories”. The design encourages circulation through carefully curated paths, based on strategically designed sightlines in order to bring park-goers to specific program and park spaces, including: a custom playground, an activity field, a sloping lawn, a waterfront promenade, a picnic area, flexible gathering areas, and an elevated “belvedere” from where one will encounter spectacular panoramas of the Manhattan skyline and the New York harbor.