Brooklyn Bridge Forest Project Wins Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge International Design Competition
Brooklyn Bridge Forest , a design that reimagines the historic Brooklyn Bridge as an icon of climate action and social equity, has been selected winner of the Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge competition, an international design challenge presented by Van Alen Institute and the New York City Council.
The creative brainchild of designer, strategist, and urbanist Scott Francisco, Brooklyn Bridge Forest was inspired by his daily walks across the bridge from Brooklyn to lower Manhattan. Francisco envisioned an opportunity to reimagine the bridge as a way to connect New York City and its residents to forests and natural systems, improve quality of life, and extend the impact of the 137-year-old structure as a source of inspiration and a platform for addressing pressing problems that challenge our planet.
Rooted in over ten years of research and activism by Francisco’s Pilot Projects Design Collective , Wildlife Conservation Society , Cities4Forests , Grimshaw Architects , and Silman, Brooklyn Bridge Forest triples the capacity for active transit, brings biodiverse forest and green spaces into the city, and establishes a partnership to conserve an expanse of Central American tropical forest, all while respecting and maintaining the beloved structure.