High-profile studio the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and landscape architects SCAPE have been commissioned to radically renovate an old oil- and coal-burning power plant in Connecticuut. The building will be transformed from a dirty polluter to greenery filled park, and will feature swimming pools, walking trails, and more.
As its name suggests, Manresa Wilds is located on Connecticut’s Manresa Island, on a site initially slated for luxury waterfront housing. Thanks to the efforts of non-profit Manresa Island Corp. it will now host a 125-acre (50-hectare) park and recreational facility instead.
The project reimagines the site’s power plant – which was decommissioned in 2013 – with a glazed facade and partially green roof. It will host multiple swimming pools, events spaces, food and beverage areas, and research and educational rooms. It will also preserve original aspects of the facility, including its chimney and boiler.
Manresa Island Corp.
“Manresa Island is set to become a much-needed foothold for the public along the otherwise rather privatized Connecticut coastline,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder of BIG. “With our vision for the powerplant, we seek to rediscover and reanimate the majestic spaces hidden within the bones of the decommissioned piece of infrastructure. Boilers, silos, and turbine halls are postindustrial cathedrals awaiting exploration and reinterpretation.”
SCAPE is leading the landscaping effort and will add elevated areas to protect against flooding, as well as trees to combat heat, a pedestrian bridge and walking trails, and areas for exploration. There will also be a pier for water-based activities, a public beach with views of New York City, and restored wetlands and salt marshes.
Manresa Wilds joins a growing trend of repurposing former energy infrastructure, including BIG’s own CopenHill and WilkinsonEyre’s Battersea Power Station. It’s being developed in phases and is expected to fully open in 2030.
Source: Manresa Island Corp