Located along the East River, Pier 42 is today one of New York City’s most emblematic urban redevelopment projects. Long occupied by port and industrial infrastructure, the site has been transformed into a contemporary public park, designed to reconnect Lower East Side residents with their waterfront. Within this large-scale project, public lighting plays a critical role: ensuring safety along pathways, supporting park uses, and enhancing landscaped areas, both day and night. The choice of autonomous solar public lighting emerged as a durable and resilient solution, perfectly suited to a large urban park.
Park, recreation & pathways
Manhattan, New York City – USA
EverGen
Pier 42 is the flagship project of the Lower East Side waterfront transformation, a large-scale urban program aimed at creating new accessible, inclusive and sustainable public spaces. Designed by MNLA (Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects), the park is set within a dense urban environment, subject to significant technical and environmental constraints.
Each infrastructure element had to meet high standards: long-term durability, landscape integration, user safety and alignment with New York City’s climate objectives. Public lighting was an integral part of this comprehensive approach.
Photo © Barrett Doherty
Lighting a park of this scale represents a challenge in itself. Pathways are extensive, uses are diverse and visitor numbers are high, particularly in the evening. Relying on conventional grid-connected lighting would have required heavy and disruptive construction work within a site undergoing transformation.
Located along the river, Pier 42 is exposed to wind, humidity, cold winters with snow and significant seasonal variations in sunlight. Choosing solar lighting therefore had to ensure reliable continuity of service, even during long winter nights and periods of low solar irradiation.
The project was delivered by Sol by Sunna Design, Sunna Design Inc.’s U.S. subsidiary specializing in solar public lighting. Prior to deployment, a pilot phase, conducted with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), validated the performance of EverGen solar lighting under real-world conditions across multiple seasons. This step led to approval for park-wide deployment.
To support the redevelopment of Pier 42, teams selected solar lighting solutions from the EverGen range. Installed along park pathways and activity areas, these street lights provide public lighting without trenches or grid connection, ideally suited to a large-scale urban project.
This historical generation of the EverGen range, already widely proven, met the requirements for durability, energy autonomy and continuity of service expected for a major urban park in New York City.
With a color temperature adapted to public spaces and a layout designed for uniform coverage, the street lights deliver comfortable, safe lighting while respecting the nighttime environment.
Photo © Barrett Doherty
Several years after installation, the solar street lights at Pier 42 continue to provide reliable and consistent public lighting. Their performance is especially meaningful given New York’s climate: the systems have endured multiple winters, including cold temperatures, snow and short daylight periods, without compromising lighting quality.
Operational feedback shows that the deployed solutions offer long-term reliability, limited maintenance and an excellent fit with the intensive use of a major urban park. Pier 42 has thus become a reference project for autonomous solar public lighting in New York City.
By securing pathways and activity areas, solar lighting encourages year-round use of the park by residents and visitors. From an environmental perspective, EverGen solar street lights reduce emissions associated with public lighting and eliminate electricity consumption from the grid.
Pier 42 now stands as a reference for solar public lighting in large-scale urban projects, demonstrating that performance, durability and climate resilience can go hand in hand.
Photo © Barrett Doherty
Yes. The solar street lights installed at Pier 42 were designed for New York’s climate and have operated reliably through multiple winters, including cold temperatures, snow and short daylight periods.
Autonomous solar lighting avoids trenching, grid connection and heavy construction works. It is particularly well suited to urban redevelopment projects such as parks, where durability and flexibility are essential.
Pier 42 is equipped with autonomous solar street lights from the EverGen range, a proven solution for public lighting in large urban spaces and parks.
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Located along the East River, Pier 42 is today one of New York City’s most emblematic urban redevelopment projects. Long occupied by port and industrial infrastructure, the site has been transformed into a contemporary public park, designed to reconnect Lower East Side residents with their waterfront. Within this large-scale project, public lighting plays a […]
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