Project scope: Columbus Circle, born from Frederick Law Olmsted's design concept for Central Park, has been rethought and redesigned many times since its erection in 1905. Located at one of the principal entrances to the Park, Columbus Circle had fallen into general disuse due to its failure to serve as a functional, safe and inviting public space, as well as its inability to foster real estate development in the surrounding area. (The landscape architect’s initial study in 1989 for the Central Park Conservancy led to subsequent traffic studies that returned the space to a circular traffic pattern.)
In conjunction with the development of the Time Warner Center, the City of New York commissioned a redesign of the historic circle in 1997. In 2001, the landscape architecture team and collaborating engineers developed a design that would transform the site into a powerful urban space attracting New York City residents and visitors with its vibrant planting, a series of fountains, striking benches, paving and lighting, all working together to accentuate the uniqueness and vitality of the Circle and the city as a whole.