NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Located in Manhattanville’s Factory District, the Malt House was the site of one of the largest breweries in Manhattan during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The entire brewing process – from malting, to boiling, and fermentation - was carried out on this site in West Harlem along with acres of cellarage to store raw materials. The site is also important for its topographic makeup. The Malt House is centered on a low point between two bluffs in West Harlem that provide direct access to the banks of the Hudson River.
The Malt House landscape embraces the chemical reactions found in the brewing process and throughout nature as a way to structure new activities within the space. These “program molecules” like public art displays, musical performance, dancing, outdoor movies, open air markets, and a shady spot to gather with friends can be done independently or combined to create new experiences that differ from the constituent parts. A series of large pyramidal earth forms provides an environment to encourage these interactions to unfold. These forms shape spaces for people occupy between and can be climbed to relax, take in a performance, or used for informal play for people of all ages.