From Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation:

THE FUTURE PARK

Creating exceptional public places and parkland on the Island is the important early catalyst in bringing the Island back to life. An acclaimed team: West 8 / Rogers Marvel Architects / Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Quennell Rothschild / Urban Design + , has begun designing a new 40-acre park, a 2.2 mile Great Promenade along the water, and a restoration of 33 acres of historic landscapes. In the future, including the open areas of the National Monument, Governors Island will be home to more than 100 acres of public green space.

This acclaimed team will design a legacy project for all New Yorkers – a sustainable and unique park for the 21st century. To learn more about what is happening with the design process, see our recent public presentations that will update you about the Island’s progress and the park design. 

From Diller Scofidio + Renfro:

GOVERNORS ISLAND
Urban Park, New York, NY, phase 1 to begin 2009

Sandwiched between the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, Governors Island is at the center of the world’s most spectacular natural and manmade landscapes. Despite this fact, the 172-acre parcel has been outside of the mental map of New York City for much of its 400-year history as a private outpost for government, military and Coast Guard installations. The new Governors Island, designed n conjunction with West 8 and Rogers Marvel Architects, uses the manmade topography of lower Manhattan as a starting point; the southern tip of the island is transformed into an artificial landscape with occupiable mountains constructed of reclaimed materials from existing Governors Island buildings. Complementary wood bicycles will be available to ply the winding paths between the hills as well as access the adjacent tidal basin, a 10,000 seat amphitheater, and the perimeter promenade with is unique views of New York City and surrounding landmarks. As the new topography approaches the western edge of the island, it transforms into EPDM covered greenhouse structures, programmed as botanical and aquatic research centers, aquaria and restaurants all focusing on the flora and fauna of the site, especially of the fish of the Hudson estuary. Off-shore programmed structures emerge like bubbles from the water, moving with the tides and adjusting to rising sea levels. The Oyster Restaurant floating directly across the harbor from the Statue of Liberty is an inflated sphere, 150′ in diameter, anchored to a manmade oyster reef. Rather than focusing its gaze on the world, it turns to the ecology of the local, allowing guests to eat the site by serving food from the Hudson and the harbor.