Disney’s new NYC headquarters unites media production, streaming, business, and editorial in one location for the first time. The Robert A. Iger Building in historic Hudson Square features nine exterior roof terraces, two green roofs, and an urban streetscape, adding nearly an acre of new elevated greenspace to a neighborhood with an industrial past.

To meet the needs of innovative and flexible outdoor workspaces, the terraces provide essential outdoor space that benefits employees and the ecosystem alike. The building is comprised of two nine-story towers on top of a 10-story podium organized around a series of cascading exterior terraces. The rooftop terraces comprise a series of flexible spaces for working and relaxing, creating indoor/outdoor work environments and blending the office into its industrial context. In a callback to Hudson Square’s history as a Printing District in the 20th century, the modular terraces and planters were inspired by subdivided typesets found in historic printing presses around the area.

Designed as a living microforest, the terraces introduce new ecological value while providing immersive moments for people to connect and collaborate. The planting is intentionally layered and textured, incorporating low-growing grasses and perennials, accent perennials, medium and large-scale shrubs, and larger trees where appropriate to mimic the structure of an urban forest. Lush plantings create an immersive experience within each terrace while also capturing stormwater and exceeding requirements for LEED certification. At the base of the building, a revamped streetscape complements retail amenities along the ground floor.