Cornell Tech’s new campus on Roosevelt Island spans 12 acres, overlooking both the Manhattan and Queens skyline. Two acres of open space create a substantial public realm; foster interaction and collaboration; and welcome visitors, students, and the public into the campus, simultaneously serving as a stormwater strategy. Together, these open spaces weave the buildings into a unique and vibrant community, providing a rich identity for this new 21st-century urban campus.

The planning, phasing, and design of the open space for the Cornell Tech Campus ensures a consistent identity that is at the same time flexible for long-term development. The Phase 1 landscape includes state-of-the-art sustainability metrics with porous pavements, stormwater gardens, native plantings, and renewable materials.

Images by: Iwan Baan