We are excited to announce that Field Operations, in collaboration with Brook McIlroy, has been selected to design the next phase of Toronto’s The Bentway. The new site, The Bentway Islands, will transform three large traffic islands, covering a total of 11,500 square meters beneath the Gardiner Expressway into a vibrant, iconic, and sustainable public space for Toronto.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with The Bentway, the City of Toronto, and the local community to reimagine this site beneath the Gardiner Expressway. Our goal is to create an iconic, vibrant and sustainable public space that embodies The Bentway’s vision. Partnering with Brook McIlroy, we are excited to combine our firms' expertise in creating transformative, high-impact public spaces, bringing to life a truly extraordinary new space for Toronto," said Isabel Castilla, Associate Partner at Field Operations.

Check out the official announcement from The Bentway Conservancy, and media coverage in The Globe and Mail, The Architect's Newspaper, and Designlines.

Matt Grunbaum will give a talk about the design philosophy of Field Operations and some of the firm's most significant projects including the High Line at Utopian Hours 2024. The first international festival of city making in Italy, Utopian Hours highlights the ideas, projects and places that are improving life in the world’s cities with a three-day festival now in its eighth edition.

Learn more about the festival and Matt's talk here. 

As part of Archtober, Field Operations will lead a Building of the Day tour for Gansevoort Peninsula with nARCHITECTS.

Hudson River Park’s Gansevoort Peninsula builds on the site’s history as part of NYC’s active waterfront, creating a more resilient urban shoreline that allows New Yorkers to reconnect and engage with the Hudson River. Inspired by community feedback, the park balances active and passive spaces for lounging, fitness, and recreation and transforms a former DSNY operations site to reflect the neighborhood’s needs, celebrate its history, and imagine a new future for the estuary.

Learn more about the tour and register on the Archtober website.

As part of Archtober, Field Operations will lead a Building of the Day tour for Domino Square with Studio Cadena.

Domino Square is a new one-acre public space that will expand the public realm along the Williamsburg waterfront and connect it more seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood. Designed as a new civic room, the Square features welcoming and active edges with neighborhood-oriented retail and a central plaza for various events such as farmers’ markets, community gatherings, movie nights, arts and cultural performances, and ice skating in the winter.

Learn more about the tour and register on the Archtober website.

The North Brooklyn Parks Alliance will honor Field Operations and Alive Structures—as visionary landscape firms that have redefined North Brooklyn's landscape by envisioning resilient public spaces that protect and support both wildlife and human communities—at their 2024 Fall Gala on September 26. The nonprofit parks conservancy will also launch "Rewild North Brooklyn," NBK Parks' latest strategic initiative that aims to restore habitats in a rapidly developing area of Brooklyn.

"Rewilding is more than just a movement or attitude; it's a way of life. The North Brooklyn Parks Alliance's commitment to urban rewilding is essential for bringing nature into our daily lives. Their ongoing work to create and care for parks, public spaces, and green corridors that support wildlife, biodiversity, ecosystems, resilience, and communities is fostering a deeper connection with nature and each other," said Lisa Tziona Switkin, Partner at Field Operations.

Learn more about the gala in the Brooklyn Eagle and purchase tickets with NBK Parks. 

James Corner will deliver a keynote on September 26 as part of Landscape Futures, a two-day event celebrating the Centennial of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design. Founding Partner and CEO of Field Operations, James has also served on the faculty since 1989 and as Professor and Chair of the Department from 2000–2012. 

Learn more about the Centennial celebration and register on the Weitzman School of Design website.

Meeting up with AIANY Emerging New York Architects Committee and the Cross-Learning Alliance for a bike tour of some of NYC's most intriguing projects, Cricket Day from Field Operations will lead a tour of Gansevoort Peninsula at Hudson River Park on September 14. 

Learn more about the route for the bike tour and register here.

Along with Mike Lampariello from Two Trees Management and ASLA-NY, Lisa Switkin will lead a tour of Domino Square on September 12.

Domino Square, a new 1-acre public space that will expand the public realm along the Williamsburg waterfront and connect it more seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood. Designed as a new civic room, the Square features welcoming and active edges with neighborhood-oriented retail and a central plaza for various events such as farmers’ markets, community gatherings, movie nights, arts and cultural performances, and ice skating in the winter. Field Operations and Two Trees will share insights and stories about its planning, vision, and design, alongside plans for its ongoing programming, maintenance, and operations. 

Sign up for the tour on the ASLA-NY website.

The United Center Joint Venture group introduced The 1901 Project, an ambitious mixed-use development in Chicago set to transform 55 acres on the West Side. Working with the client team and city and community leaders, the design team has created a vision for a new development that bridges neighborhoods and enhances opportunities for residents, businesses, and all of Chicago.

The vision for the United Center—home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks—will reconnect surrounding neighborhoods and create a world-class urban coree. With over 10 acres of public space included in Phase I, The 1901 Project will connect the community with nature and further the legacy of iconic public spaces throughout the city. Paired with a new 6,000-seat music hall, hotel and retail, and reimagined parking and transportation, it envisions this neighborhood as a year-round destination to live, work, and play.

Learn more on the project website, in Bloomberg, and in the Chicago Tribune.

Colin Curley joins a team of educators and practitioners launching Hyper REAL with the University of Virginia, an innovative pilot project that brings together students and faculty from UVA's School of Architecture and the McIntire School of Commerce to explore new pedagogical models and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Hyper REAL aims to bridge the worlds of design and real estate, providing a unique platform for students to engage with real-life challenges and contribute to the creation of vibrant, sustainable urban spaces. The project will feature a series of workshops and on-site engagements in New York, providing students with hands-on experience and professional insights.

Learn more about the team and what they're up to with the fall semester on the UVA School of Architecture website.

Joining Nicholas Parisi from eDesign Dynamics and Tom Adams from Hudson River Park Trust, Cricket Day will lead a tour of Gansevoort Peninsula at Hudson River Park with ASLA-NY on July 10.

Now the site of Manhattan’s first public beach, Gansevoort Peninsula has added 5.5 acres of new recreation space to Hudson River Park, along with a salt marsh and submerged habitat enhancements to create a more resilient shoreline. Now the largest single green space in Hudson River Park, Gansevoort Peninsula hosts a full size athletic field, an outdoor gym, a dog run, picnic areas, a topographic lawn, and a kayak landing. Hear more about how extensive community outreach shaped these programs, the integration of coastal barrier island inspired planting, as well as salt marsh restoration and oyster reef design.

Sign up for the tour with ASLA-NY.

Included as one of the people shaping creative America in 2024, James Corner is listed in the Wallpaper* USA 400 in the "Creativity Meets Science and Tech" category, leaders of design research, start-uppers and business leaders whose creative brilliance is paired with a strong focus on technology and sustainability. Cited as "landscape architect, theorist, founder of Field Operations, whose work on New York’s High Line helped champion urban green spaces for all," he's in good company on the list, featuring leaders in design, business, culture, and more.

Read the full list on Wallpaper*.

Inviting him to join as a guest for The Second Studio, a podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design interviewed James Corner for the podcast. Together they discuss his background, early interests, education in landscape architecture and urban design, the value of urban design, the difference between architecture and landscape architecture, design competitions, Field Operations' practice structure, the High Line, and more.

Listen to the full episode here.

Recognized by both the jury and the public in the Urban Design Interventions & Infrastructure category, the High Line – Moynihan Connector took home two Azure AZ Awards as the overall category winner and the People's Choice winner. Cited by the magazine as "equal parts nature and infrastructure," the Moynihan Connector creates a vital new connection for the High Line and Midtown West.

"This intervention solves a gap in the urban fabric—and does so with an elegant solution that recognizes the pedestrian as a priority while also adding a new green landscape to the concrete jungle of Manhattan," said Jennifer Keesmaat, AZ Awards 2024 Juror and President & CEO of Collecdev Markee.

Learn more about the project and these awards from Azure in the feature on their website.

The Underline Phase 3 has been recognized with a Second Award in the 2024 RTF Awards! The awards program aims to raise awareness around the strategies architects and designers are employing to deal with contemporary global challenges to inspire the next generation.

Currently under construction, Phase 3 builds on Phase 1 and 2 of The Underline, stretching for 7.36 miles under the Metrorail as the final phase. Once complete, it will create new connections between several communities including the City of Miami, City of Coral Gables, City of South Miami, and Dadeland. With designated paths for cyclists and pedestrians, improvements to 25 intersections, and 12 community spaces with diverse programming, this phase also includes innovative planting techniques that will re-naturalize the corridor. 

Learn more about the project and the strategies employed on the RTF website. 

Following a vote by the city council's planning committee, Birmingham Smithfield has been given the green light to move forward.

Working with Lendlease, Field Operations led the public realm design that shaped the master plan for a new £1.9 billion GBP mixed-use development at the center of Birmingham. With a new Smithfield Market at the heart of the development and over 3,000 homes, new cultural and leisure facilities, and commercial space, the new development will create a richly textured urban fabric. The site plan comprises an interconnected tissue of new public spaces, strengthening the city center's authentic character and improving connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods. A variety of vibrant community spaces, a new public park, squares, walks, and active play for children combine as part of an urban greening approach that maximizes green space and prioritizes health and well-being.

Learn more about the vision on the project website and in BBC.

In partnership with the City of San Francisco, the Union Square Alliance unveiled a new design proposal and vision for Powell Street on June 10, 2024 following the announcement of funding for the Powell Street Improvement Project in 2023.

The design, led by Field Operations and SITELAB Urban Studio, reimagines a three-block stretch of Powell Street with practical and aesthetic upgrades to welcome residents and visitors, offering a more enjoyable transit experience and spurring economic development in the area. The proposal celebrates and centers the iconic cable cars as well as Powell's beautiful and historic architecture.

Learn more about the design vision from the Union Square Alliance, in the San Francisco Examiner, and in the San Francisco Chronicle.