Urban Design

Editors’ Picks, AN Best of Design Awards 2020

Tucked behind a commercial thoroughfare, Muchattoes Lake is a pilot project site in Newburgh, NY to advocate for public infrastructure, inclusive development, community-led design practices, and equitable access to green space. The project combines two main concerns centered on health and wellness: creating multi-modal and safe access along Lake Street and heightening the visibility of the lake for the community to reimagine accessible public space and amenities surrounding the lake. A series of “what-if” design strategies envision creating a trail around the lake, street-parking replacing on-site parking, and existing parking lots transformed into public amenities and recreational areas connecting to the lake. In conceiving two-sided storefronts, the proposal adds value to the “back” of a typical strip mall with programs that can serve the new park, including watersport rentals, shops, and eateries overlooking the lake.

Location: Newburgh, NY

Completion: 2020