Jersey City, N.J.-Based Firm’s Innovative Design Connects Jersey City and Manhattan
The New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ) has recognized Jersey City–based architecture firm Jeff Jordan Architects, LLC, with an Honor Award in the Unbuilt category in recognition of its work designing the Liberty Pedestrian Bridge to connect Jersey City and Manhattan.
While Jersey City and New York City are only separated by few miles, travelers are currently forced to take circuitous routes to travel between the two cities. Rising from the abandoned ruins of the Pennsylvania Railway Embankment in Jersey City, the Liberty Pedestrian Bridge would extend over the Hudson River directly into Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. The Liberty Pedestrian Bridge would be a 5,000-foot long, 200-foot high bridge, providing an elevated park experience and views of both Jersey City and Manhattan to pedestrians and bikers.
“We are excited to receive an honor award for our design of the Liberty Pedestrian Bridge, which we think would create a unique and exciting experience for tourists and commuters who travel between the two cities,” said Jeff Jordan, Principal of Jeff Jordan Architects, LLC. “The design is only the first step toward making this connection between Jersey City and Manhattan come to life, but we’re hopeful that it will capture the imagination and help make the bridge a reality.”
The two-level bridge is envisioned as a pair of interwoven paths contained within a box truss frame. The unique paths are woven together horizontally and vertically with this physical make-up reinforcing their structural integrity. The lower level concrete path is partially protected from the elements by the upper level wooden path to help facilitate more pleasant, weather-protected commuting. The exposed path takes advantage of dramatic views and an outward focus. The design also includes areas of greenery, integrated seating and several cafes and shops.
"The visionary design conceptualized by Jeff Jordan Architects is truly inspirational and speaks to the broad value of architecture, even in its unbuilt state," said Justin Mihalik, AIA, president of AIA-NJ. "Through the power of design, the Liberty Pedestrian Bridge has been transformed from the realm of words and ideas to a concrete vision of the project that can be honed and refined through open public discourse, and whose merits can now be compared with other essential infrastructure projects."
To learn more about the proposed Liberty Pedestrian Bridge please visit http://libertybridgeorg.wix.com/libertybridge .
About the AIA New Jersey Design Awards Program
The AIA-NJ Annual Design Awards program recognizes architectural projects that exhibit design excellence in one of four categories: open (meant for any building type), residential, historic preservation and interior architecture. Projects are further designated as either “built” or “un-built.” To be eligible, projects must be either located in New Jersey or designed by an AIA-NJ architect. Submitted projects are evaluated during the organization’s annual Design Conference by a group of distinguished architects from throughout the country.
About AIA and AIA New Jersey
Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., its 300 plus local chapters represent 87,000 licensed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architecture profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visit www.aia-nj.org.
