The Edge Park in Williamsburg New zoning laws passed in accordance with Bloomberg's claiming of the river as "the sixth borough" opened the way for multiple waterfront parks in New York City, such as The Edge Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Anticipating an increase in density and need for waterfront access, the park was deemed a mixed-use site along the East River and completed in March 2011. According to Wilks, the park allows "the city grid and the river's ecosystem to converge, mingle, and clash..." To this end, W Architecture utilized several of its signature elements, including: a street that becomes a pedestrian greenway; deep pier structures that make the area seem more like land than traditional piers; a garage area covered by a sloping lawn; and stone that allows for rising and falling waterlines.
St. Patrick's Island A restoration of the previously existing island park in the Bow River between the East Village and Bridgeland, in Calgary, Alberta, St. Patrick's Island was a collaborative project by W Architecture and Denver-based Civitas.
West Harlem Piers Park As a major early component of a larger waterfront master plan undertaken for West Harlem, West Harlem Piers Park was completed in the Fall of 2008. The result of efforts by 40 neighborhood groups and coalitions, the park linked the coastline between Riverside Park and
Riverbank State Park. As master planners for the project, W Architecture converted a narrow strip of land, essentially a 69,000 sq. ft. parking lot that cut off the community of West Harlem from the waterfront, into a 105,526 sq. ft. park. It features granite benches, sloped lawn areas, repurposed cobblestone in paved areas, and various water access features for kayaking, fishing, and general recreation. As a result of the design, a substantial increase in land permeability was achieved and accommodations for fluctuating runoff and storm surges have allowed the park to sustain dramatic weather events since its completion. == Portfolio ==