Brooklyn Bridge Park Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Unveiling of New Pier 1 Pavilion and Entryway

Photo Courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park

New Entryway Enhances Accessibility and Highlights Park’s Continued Growth

Brooklyn Bridge Park celebrated its 15th anniversary with the grand unveiling of the new Pier 1 Pavilion and Entryway, reinforcing its commitment to accessibility, sustainability, and community-driven development. The event brought together local leaders, elected officials, and community members to commemorate the park’s transformation from an industrial waterfront into a world-class public space.

“As we celebrate our 15th Anniversary, today marks an exciting moment in the transformation of this space from an abandoned area to one of New York City’s most beloved public parks,” said Eric Landau, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “With the opening of the new Pier 1 Pavilion and Entryway, we have created a vibrant destination in the Park, where visitors can meet, gather, and enjoy this incredible public space.”

The pavilion is situated within a grove of honey locust and ginkgo trees atop a small knoll, accessible by gently sloping paths and wide stairways. From this elevated vantage point, visitors enjoy expansive views of the East River, the Manhattan skyline, and deep into Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Composed of three stone structures, the pavilion seamlessly opens to the park, with two-tone pavers enhancing the natural flow around the space, Designed as an inviting place of calm amid city life, the pavilion serves as both an accessible meeting space and a welcoming gateway to Pier 1.

Photovoltaic shingles covering the pavilion’s roof are expected to generate enough energy to achieve net-zero status and fully power Pier 1. The roof’s underside features vibrant yellow-green porcelain penny tiles, mirroring the seasonal colors of nearby trees. An oculus above the central gathering space connects visitors with the open sky, while the cantilevered offers shelter.

The pavilion also includes thoughtfully designed public restrooms, featuring the park’s first private family and gender-neutral facilities, underscoring Brooklyn Bridge Park’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

The event also highlighted the park’s newest partner, Breads Bakery. The new cafe adds to Brooklyn Bridge Park’s vibrant culinary landscape with its acclaimed baked goods and cafe offerings. Known for its artisanal pastries and famous babka, Breads Bakery emphasizes fresh ingredients, traditional baking methods, and innovative flavors. Visitors can enjoy a variety of sweet and savory items, from freshly baked breads and pastries to sandwiches and salads.

Since its inception, Brooklyn Bridge Park has redefined urban waterfront access, welcoming millions of visitors annually. Its innovative funding model, commitment to sustainability, and world-class programming have made it a national model for public space transformation. The Pier 1 Entryway refreshes the park’s main entryway and marks another milestone in its continued growth.

About Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of the largest and most significant public projects to be built in New York City in a generation, has transformed a once dilapidated industrial waterfront into a vibrant and thriving 85-acre civic landscape. Brooklyn Bridge Park is designed to be both environmentally and financially sustainable, a critical element of the park’s long-term sustainability. Operated as a not-for-profit controlled by the City of New York, Brooklyn Bridge Park develops, capitally improves, and maintains the Park and is responsible for all day-to-day operations.

About Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Founded in 1982, MVVA has master planned and designed public parks of all sizes (from 2 acres to over 1000 acres), gardens, and campuses for world-class institutions. Regardless of their size or location, the firm’s built landscapes exemplify outstanding environmental performance, financial resourcefulness, and technical innovation. Our projects are defined by the qualities of their sites and by the aspirations of people who will use them. Our staff works from offices in Brooklyn, Cambridge, Denver, and Los Angeles. As researchers, designers, and builders, we approach every project as an opportunity to expand the creative potential of our field. Our work has received many awards for design excellence. We are exceptionally proud that Brooklyn Bridge Park was awarded the Rosa Barba International Landscape Architecture Prize in 2021. MVVA was also selected as the Firm of the Year by the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2016.

About Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners is a New York based studio established in 1986

by founding partners Tod Williams & Billie Tsien. Their practice is committed to reflecting the values of non-profit, cultural and academic institutions toward an architecture of enduring vision. A sense of rootedness, light, texture, detail, and most of all, experience, are at the heart of what they design. Some of their notable public projects include the renovation of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City, the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, and the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, Chicago. Over the past three decades, their dedication to this work has been recognized by numerous national and international citations, and in 2013 they were awarded the Architecture Firm Award by the American Institute of Architects. The studio is committed to creating a better world through architecture.