HARBORSIDE PARK: RBDH
HOBOKEN, NJ
Harborside Park is a feature project within the Rebuild by Design - Hudson River (RBDH) program that emerged from the Rebuild by Design competition. A resiliency strategy for Hoboken and portions of Jersey City and Weehawken was developed to Resist future storm surge events and Delay, Store and Discharge rainfall through a comprehensive system of stormwater parks and green infrastructure projects. Harborside park reframes the location of the Resist Structure along the Hoboken Waterfront through an existing park and adjacent lot as an opportunity to envision a new kind of coastal resilience park and waterfront experience for the Hoboken Community.
Harborside Park takes inspiration from the sites historical wet meadow context and capitalizes on the Resist Structure alignment by draping a green meadow over the structure and carving out spaces for passive and active programming to sit within the folded meadow context. The folded meadow also provides for universal access opportunities up and over the structural flood alignment, preserving access to the waterfront and creating new elevated viewsheds within the park with views to the Manhattan skyline across the Hudson River.
The design of Harborside Park strikes a balance between active and passive program spaces influenced by the extensive community input received throughout the design process. Public input was a critical component of developing an aesthetic for the park that respected the desires of the community and park site context while also creating a signature new public space on the Hoboken waterfront. Flexible lawn and plaza areas provide opportunities for a variety of community programming and active uses throughout the year. A new playground space provides age separated play zones for local families and adjacent schools to utilize, and passive native resilient garden spaces allow places to rest and enjoy the seasons.
Client:
NJDEP New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Collaborators:
City of Hoboken, MKA Associates, Matrix New World Engineering
Status:
Ongoing construction- Expected completion Fall 2026