ST. JOHN'S TERMINAL – the old terminus to the raised railway in Downtown Manhattan now partially repurposed as The High Line linear park– is being envisioned as a center for innovation for an internationally renowned tech company. The industrial relic partly demolished to reveal the overhead train tracks and platforms in the façade and provide a 15,000 SF public garden and office entry plaza at West Houston St. Located on the original shoreline of Manhattan, the design of St. John’s Plaza draws from natural shoreline forms with planting berms, fragmented stone pavers, and clusters of flotsum and jetsum-like benches. This new gateway to the Hudson River Park provides an immersive garden experience through lush, resilient plantings and groves of native trees. On the 2nd floor existing rail tracks, trees, shrubs, and groundcover appear as though they have spontaneously taken root there.

Collectively, the terraces at 550 Washington provide a diverse range of environments and experiences for the building’s occupants. The 4th-floor terrace, located on the roof of the original industrial building, is inspired by the industrial cogs and wheels left over from the original train track infrastructure. The feature events terrace hosts theatergoers from the auditorium with a large flex-zone, planting islands, shade pergolas, and platform seating. The 11th floor, inspired by Dutch term, Bloemendaal – or “Valley of Flowers” – used to characterize the land that Manhattan originally occupied, is a 360-degree walking path that offers a moment of respite, with exceptional views across the water and of the Manhattan skyline. The 12th-floor terrace – A Hudson Highland retreat – hosts wellness activities and happy hours on a lawn with rolling topography, beneath a bosque of trees, and at the sunset lounge rock garden with a feature pergola and timber pavilions nestled in lush planting areas.