What was in my mind was to build something for the people of New York and for anyone who visits — a space that on first sight was dazzling, and upon use made people happy.”
— Barry Diller
In November 2014, the Hudson River Park Trust and Barry Diller/Diane von Furstenberg announced a plan to replace the dilapidated Pier 54, envisioning an extraordinary new pier combining public Park and performance space. The Trust worked with the Diller-von Furstenberg Foundation to conceive a new 2.7-acre public pier dedicated to parkland with performing arts programming. The park is designed by UK -based Heatherwick Studio and the landscape, by Signe Nielsen of MNLA, conceived as a place where New Yorkers and visitors can have an immersive experience with nature and art.
Construction of Little Island has advanced, first through completion of the piles and the signature “pots” supporting the pier deck, to installation of landscape and other site furnishings. Little Island is now open, and the Diller-von Furstenberg Foundation has funded the vast majority of this extraordinary project.
During construction, Little Island also conducted significant outreach to local community and arts organizations and has begun developing arts programming concepts and partnerships for the pier.