There is a new spot to unwind and take in the views of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn waterfront. Domino Square has opened and it is the final public space to be unveiled that’s part of the multi-billion transformation of the historic Domino Sugar Refinery.
“We like to think of this as a sibling of Domino Park, the little sister in some ways,” Lisa Tziona Switkin, the landscape architect who designed the space, said.
Measuring 1-acre and located immediately south of the famed sugar refinery, Domino Square is a civic space that is already hosting community events and seasonal activities. The “bowl-like” interior features 120 trees and plants, food options, tiered seating to create a “theater-in-the-round” effect and will have an ice skating rink in the winter.
Two Trees Management, the developers who own the land, hired Field Operations and Studio Cadena to design the space.
On the exterior of the square facing Kent Avenue, there is retail and food space. It is designed in a style to draw into the entrance of the square that opens to a 33,000 square foot area. The tiered seating is made of steel and the entire square can fit more than 800 people for larger events.
“As you go up the steps you start to get a glimpse of the landscape beyond,” Studio Cadena’s Benjamin Cadena said. “First the water, then from the top you are able to see the Statue of Liberty and the larger landmarks of the city.”
In the center there is an asphalt oval, but according to Dave Lombino from Two Trees Management, it is a vital part to the entire 11-acre complex.
“Underneath here is a waste water reuse system that retreats all the water from our Domino buildings, which is then reused in the park,” he said.
In addition to that system under the square, there is also the ability to create an ice rink that will turn the asphalt oval into a place for winter time fun. During the warmer times of the year, the pavement will be used for concerts, farmer’s markets, dance and movie nights. While in the winter, the square will attract skaters.
Domino Square was not part of the original plan. The previous developers wanted to construct a 45-story condominium building. However, when Two Trees Management took over the area they reconsidered the proposed building.
Lombino said they went through the community process in 2013 and 2014 asking residents what was missing in the area. There was a consensus that additional open space was needed, so the condominium was scrapped and the other buildings in the complex increased in height in exchange for what would become Domino Square.
“The idea that this could become a gathering space where people could come together for bigger events,” Switkin said.
