The Gowanus Link: Providing Open Space and Canal Access for the Residents of Wyckoff Gardens

Devin Fields; Wes Masco; Sophia Trinidad; Wooseok Choi Rutgers University, Department of Landscape Architecture

The Gowanus Link design proposal attempts to connect NYCHA residents from Wyckoff Gardens to the new public amenities that will be developed at the canal. The goal is to provide residents with more community space, both inside and outside of Wyckoff. We propose the creation of a connected series of parks, public spaces, classrooms, and recreational amenities along the northern edge of the canal extending up to Baltic Street. The design language employed attempts to create a strong visual and spatial connection along this corridor, and to encourage movement outside of existing boundaries. The overall urban design strategy utilizes 6 block typologies as a starting point for creating appropriate and context-sensitive building outlines. These typologies are then placed in dialogue with residents’ needs and desires, as outlined in a Community Values Map developed through analysis of PlanGowanus.com and a survey of NYCHA tenants. A centerpiece of the design is a new library and learning space that creates a new North Canal neighborhood hub and serves to address key social and economic goals from the 2018 Draft Framework “Gowanus: A Framework for a Sustainable, Inclusive, Mixed-use Neighborhood,” including improving job access for NYCHA residents and defining employer needs and developing training and educational models. This project was created for an undergraduate studio in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University.

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