sunken madison square park
competition entry
Situated at the intersection of nature and urban life, Sunken Madison Square Park reimagines a segment of the park as a subterranean reflection space, where architecture and landscape merge into one contemplative journey. In the heart of Manhattan, beneath layers of bustling streets and the steel grids of the city, this project uncovers a primordial architecture that reconnects visitors with the earth's quiet rhythms, creating a meditative refuge from the chaos above. It invites visitors to descend into a series of cave-like rooms, where the sensory experience is shaped by the tactile presence of stone, the softness of filtered light, and the organic interplay of nature and architecture.
Here, the boundary between built and natural dissolves. Stone walls—rough, unrefined, and timeless—bear the traces of the earth, integrating seamlessly with the park’s landscape. The rawness of these materials is a deliberate choice, evoking a sense of grounding that contrasts sharply with the surrounding urban environment.
The architecture unfolds as a journey of excavation, a physical and metaphysical descent into tranquility. Pathways, subtly integrated into the park’s topography, lead visitors into sunken courtyards and inward-facing spaces, where time slows, and the senses engage with the subtleties of texture, light, and sound. The design curates this movement carefully, guiding visitors away from the city's demands and offering moments of stillness.
Visitors are guided along winding pathways into more
intimate, introspective spaces, including semi-enclosed courtyards and
restrooms, each thoughtfully designed to cultivate a deeper connection with
both nature and the self.
In this way, Sunken Madison Square Park becomes more
than a built environment—it seeks to be a sanctuary, a place where one can reconnect
with the deep, elemental rhythms of the earth. The space serves as a reflection
of humanity’s ancient need for shelter and contemplation, offering a meditative
experience that reinterprets the primal in a modern context.
team: Yang Fei, Mengyu Zhao, Cy(Chengzhe) Zhang,
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