Williamsburg’s new James Corner Field Operations designed waterfront space, Domino Park, delivers one of the most striking and innovative playgrounds in New York City. Designed by Brooklyn-based artist Mark Reigelman, Domino Park Playground, commonly referred to as Sweetwater, pays homage to the Domino Sugar Factory that rested on this Brooklyn waterfront site for 160 years until Two Trees revitalized the abandoned site. As the largest sugar refinery in the world Reigelman’s playground was inspired by the history of these sugar manufacturing operations with each portion of the playground taking children through a fun-filled representation of the sugar refining process. Through their journey, young-at-heart playground visitors will climb ramps, clamber through tubes, brave conveyer belts and catapult out slides, all the while taking in the unrivaled views of the historic site, East River, Williamsburg bridge and the Manhattan skyline. Embarking through three stages– Sugarcane Cabin, Sweetwater Silo and Sugar Cube Centrifuge, kids will be chopped and discarded from an industrial cabin, filtered into sweet water syrup, and emerge as perfectly refined raw sugar. Tying in the preserved industrial artifacts and elements from the site, Reigelman’s vibrant yellow, turquoise, green and brushed metal colors echo the original factory palette. Reused wood from factory floors appear on the façade of the elevated cabin alongside brightly colored valve wheels cast from the original factory artifacts which are dispersed throughout the playground. The three primary structures, an elevated cabin, towering silo and an industrial container along with Stainless steel slides, climbers and catwalks are all reminiscent of the original factory’s complex architecture and infrastructure.
This project would not be possible without the amazing people at Two Trees, Landscape Structures, Site Masters and DencityWorks!
