Members of the design community gathered alongside city, park and education officials at the Galapagos Art Space on October 1st to honor the 85-acre Brooklyn Bridge Park with the New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association’s (IFDA) 2013 Big Apple Award. Park President Regina Myer accepted the award, which is presented to spaces and institutions in NYC that have had a positive impact on the cultural and commercial life of the city.
“Our parks are our community’s most precious assets,” said Doug Blonsky, president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, as he spoke of Myer’s dedication to the project. Thanks to her efforts in the park’s design and planning stages, the first sections of the park (known as Piers 1 and 5) opened in 2010, and Pier 6 opened in late 2012.
Speaker Susan Chin, executive director of the Design Trust for Public Space, agreed with Blonsky, commenting that, “public spaces are where life happens in the city.” She told the crowd how Myer championed art and design in the park, and said that thanks to her efforts, “the entire park is an artwork.”
Attendees also heard from Paul Seck, partner with Brooklyn Bridge Park designers Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, and Robert K. Steel, NYC deputy mayor for economic development.
The park is currently in its final phase of funded development. Myer will prioritize the remaining construction as additional funding becomes available. “It’s been the job of a lifetime,” she said upon accepting the award.
