The SolarOne Environmental Education Center by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) marks a major milestone in New York City’s East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project, a multi-phase effort to protect Manhattan’s East River shoreline from future flooding while reimagining it as an active public realm.
Located in Stuyvesant Cove Park, SolarOne is the city’s first ground-up building to integrate solar photovoltaics and battery storage within its original design. The two-storey timber-clad structure houses classrooms for environmental education, elevated above the floodplain with floor-to-ceiling views toward the river. Its concrete base allows water to flow freely in case of floods, enabling the building to remain operational during future storms or power outages.
As part of the broader coastal resiliency initiative, the project transforms the waterfront into a “parkipelago” of interconnected green spaces that combine flood protection, recreation, and climate education. Designed in collaboration with MNLA, ONE Architecture & Urbanism, TYLin, AKRF, Cosentini Associates, Cerami Associates, and others, it stands as both infrastructure and inspiration for a more resilient city.
Located in Stuyvesant Cove Park, SolarOne is the city’s first ground-up building to integrate solar photovoltaics and battery storage within its original design. The two-storey timber-clad structure houses classrooms for environmental education, elevated above the floodplain with floor-to-ceiling views toward the river. Its concrete base allows water to flow freely in case of floods, enabling the building to remain operational during future storms or power outages.
As part of the broader coastal resiliency initiative, the project transforms the waterfront into a “parkipelago” of interconnected green spaces that combine flood protection, recreation, and climate education. Designed in collaboration with MNLA, ONE Architecture & Urbanism, TYLin, AKRF, Cosentini Associates, Cerami Associates, and others, it stands as both infrastructure and inspiration for a more resilient city.
