Design Wild

CIVIC: Canoe Plaza

Design Wild brought our plant magic and teamed up with the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance to transform this block from one of the busiest and hottest concrete blocks – dominated by traffic – into a flowery heaven. Nestled at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel on 37th Street and 9th Avenue, a surprising parklet oasis emerges that is lovingly referred to as the Canoe Plaza. Typically, this humble little public space is scattered with local businesspeople on lunch breaks, nearby residents enjoying the shade of a tree, or a lucky tourist who happened upon a spot to rest their feet.

Design Wild infused the space with our favorite shrubs, flowers and trees – adding textures, patterns, and greenery to the busy midtown Manhattanscape. Design Wild has been dedicated to bringing life to Hell’s Kitchen public spaces for the last ten years, and we feel so grateful to have a hand in this constantly evolving process. We are strong believers in the positive mental and spiritual impact of these wild spaces in a city as chaotic and overwhelming as New York.

Some of our favorite new flower friends are this funky yucca plant sending up its flowering stalk, these everblooming Knock-Out roses, and the forever mysterious Purple Smokebush.

CIVIC: Street Plantings

We are passionate about public space, and creating beauty in unexpected places. We carefully select hardy plants that will thrive in tough environments, while expanding biodiversity and air quality. These predominantly perennial plantings dramatically cut down the cost of typical annual plantings, while creating stunningly beautiful gardens.

We are creating:

• Habitat
• Dignity in Public Space
• Pollinator Gardens
• Food for Song Birds
• Moments of WILD beauty
• Public Greening = Better Mental Health

CIVIC: Affordable Housing Courtyard

Backyard and large patio design, developed for the common space in a residential property. These are spaces where residents of this affordable housing can enjoy moments of stillness which are lush and green. This is a shared space, for gathering and meeting neighbors or friends, or enjoying a small event.

Our design includes a patio area for sitting and dining, and a water feature with fish – which is often visited by songbirds playing in the stream. A quiet woodland setting area under Dawn Redwood trees. Lush shade plantings and a wonderful bronze sculpture by the late Vera Lighthouse.

RESIDENTIAL: Brooklyn Townhouse

RESIDENTIAL: Greenwich Village Rooftop

RESIDENTIAL: Upper West Side Townhouse

RESIDENTIAL: Chelsea Rooftop

COMMUNITY: Rooftop Farm

Located on a 4,000 square-foot rooftop overlooking midtown Manhattan, this community urban farm was developed for affordable startup investment as well as low weight requirements. The farm was installed using community involvement and volunteer labor.  All produce grown is donated directly to the food pantry located in the same building.

COMMUNITY: Gardens for the Stage

In 2018, Design Wild had an amazing time partnering with The Actor’s Fund and Breaking Ground, two groups that bring affordable housing and great services to performing artists across New York City and the country. We designed a rooftop garden for the Dorthy Ross Friedman Building on 10th Ave, with a focus on space for residents to relax, eat, commune, and enjoy the spectacular views. During our installation day, a brave group of residents and staff joined us to plant this space in the rain!  We know that a shared investment and working side by side always brings stewardship and love to a previously underutilized space.

COMMUNITY: El Barrio Artspace

El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 is a community-driven project that has transformed an abandoned public school building in East Harlem into an arts facility with 89 units of affordable live/work housing for artists and their families, and 10,000 square feet of complementary space for arts organizations.

Design Wild steered the design process, and helped to install the 1st garden beds, along with an incredible community of adults and children.