Landscape Information
At the corner of Columbus Avenue and West 60th Street, an ascent from two sets of steps to a platform set back from the street and two flights of stairs reveals a verdant, rectangular 2.2-acre park, plaza, and a collection of sculpture known as Fordham’s Sculpture Walk. Originally a paved roof deck connecting two academic buildings, M. Paul Friedberg’s design serves as a central gathering place for social life on campus. Opened in 1994, the publicly accessible rooftop displays work from Fordham’s permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions.
This primary point of access at the southeast corner of campus proceeds around an elevator tower, clad in glass block, from which gray stone pathways extend through the sculpture walk. Here, sculptures radiate from the path in a quincunx pattern. To the west is a raised lawn bounded by modular-block, seat walls that are inlaid with glazed blue tiles at one-quarter scale. At center is a sunken amphitheater with a small, raised stage. Creating fluidity from indoors to out, a trio of glass atria visually connect the dining hall with the park. A gabled wisteria-covered arbor at the far western end of the site connects to an axial path that crosses through the plaza’s center, uniting the landscape. On this axis is a large circular lawn ringed by ornamental cherry trees, with the arbor framing views of the Hudson River. Limited by weight constraints, oaks are planted atop structural columns in the building’s below, resulting in their regular arrangement.
Friedberg also provided a linear, elevated terrace (parallel to West 60th Street), with access through the Leon Lowenstein Center, and a secondary, mid-block entrance at West 62nd Street. The original footprint of the site was altered to the northwest with the construction of McKeon Hall (2014).
