Design + Sustainability

Lakeside is the largest and most ambitious project in Prospect Park since its creation over 150 years ago. Spanning 26 acres, this $74 million restoration by Prospect Park Alliance transformed the southeast corner of Prospect Park into a popular scenic and recreational destination. 

The Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside, designed by noted architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien in collaboration with the Alliance’s acclaimed Chief Landscape Architect Christian Zimmerman,  is intended to blend into the natural landscape, and is surrounded by acres of scenic beauty. It is LEED Gold certified, and the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects,

The Shelby White and Leon Levy Esplanade and Chaim Baier Music Island honors park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s historic plan, and through extensive research restores the lakeshore to its original design. The White Levy Esplanade features walkways and picnic areas, with newly placed boulders, native trees, shrubs and aquatic plants. In addition, five acres of the Lake were excavated to recreate Baier Music Island, which serves as a wildlife habitat.