Proposed Cycling Improvements for Red Hook

Access: Isolated from the hyper development occurring in many parts of New York, Red Hook has only remote access to mass transit and is severed from Brooklyn by an obstructive stretch of the Gowanus Expressway. This plan seeks to reconnect the community to transit by way of two primary bike routes based on a redefined street typology that will empower pedestrians & bicyclist, while granting residents and visitors ready access to Red Hook and its amenities. The East-West loop connects the Smith & 9th Street transit stop and bike loft with the heart of Red Hook and its western shore. The North-South loop joins the Brooklyn Greenway with Van Brunt Street, neighborhood parks and Red Hook Houses. These two loops leave no location in Red Hook more than three blocks from one of the primary biking corridors.

Identity: Until recently, Red Hook has played the role of economic observer despite its enviable position at the doorstep of Lady Liberty and lower Manhattan. Red Hook now has an opportunity to define its own image while guiding future development. The bike loft’s featured element, its mesh screen, protects the station from wind and rain while providing a dramatic marketing opportunity: when backlit, the screen is visible from several locations in Red Hook and Brooklyn—promoting bicycle transit while creating a community icon.

Ecology: The proposed Eco Bikescape combines bicycle infrastructure with an ecologically progressive street section that is uniquely Red Hook. Along Van Brunt, walking lanes with street tree buffers flank either side of the street. On the East, this buffer alternates between street trees and bicycle outposts (with compressed air and basic repair tools) with open walkway between the pedestrian and bike lanes, forming a generous promenade. These lanes are constructed with a smooth, impervious paving material, sloped for drainage. All three automobile lanes utilize a pervious construction strategy that absorbs rain and ushers the rest into an ecological garden. The bikescape is also a savvy approach to funding as it draws on state and federal road funds rather than small bicycle grants. This proposal positions Red Hook as a demonstration community for the region, showcasing urban approaches that cater to alternate transportation and ecological sensibility.

Reinhabit: Red Hook’s community identity is inseparable from its past as a hub of the maritime and industrial eras. By locating the bike loft within the structure of one of the area’s most dynamic bridges, the station communicates the ecological and cultural values of reuse, the economic merits of reduction and the excitement of inhabiting and celebrating an oft-dismissed icon. The proposed bike loft uses a series of bike-friendly stairs to transport riders to and from the platform in an experiential manner. The current program occupies one of the four structural columns, though if Red Hook is to become “the most bicycle friendly neighborhood in New York” demand will require expansion. The eventual inhabitation of all four of the identified columns would provide unparalleled biking amenities and an urban experience rivaling any in the region.

Full Competition Brief HERE
Project Completed with H3 Studio