Pool Farm is the dining terrace and kitchen garden of The Press Lounge, an upscale restaurant located on the 19th floor of the Ink Hotel in Hell’s Kitchen. The terrace affords breathtaking views of Manhattan along with an intimate and immersive experience as guests dine while seated next to beds planted with their meals’ ingredients. Pool farm is an inventive example of high-density urban living with an emphasis on material reuse and productive landscapes.
A custom system of terraced wood planters transforms the site’s existing, underutilized pool into a unique sunken dining experience that allows direct access to herbs and vegetables. Everything is constructed from reclaimed ipe salvaged from the renovation of the restaurant, reducing project costs and material waste. The formal design was driven by the availability of this durable and long-lasting material. Inspired by the rigid strength and flexibility of a sushi mat, the wood slats were repurposed to create a cascading form that morphs from wall into decking and from planter into bench.
Rather than completely obscure the existing pool, elements of the structure were incorporated into the finished design such as the original blue and white tiled steps, stainless steel handrails, the underwater lights and the bold graphic text of the depth marker. A measure of the site’s history is allowed to surface below the layer of unfurling ipe slats.
The plant palette was crafted in close collaboration with the chef, the restaurant’s staff forager and a rooftop farm consultant who would continue to manage the garden post-design through seasonal plant selection. The chef incorporates fresh herbs and aromatics into seasonally inspired small plates and cocktails. The concept of farm to table is inverted with the dining experience becoming immersed in the productive landscape offering urbanites a rare, earthy experience.
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