Jean Nouvel Jewelbox Houses Historic Carousel in NYC

Since it’s opening on September 16th, the Jean Nouvel acrylic encasement and historic Jane’s Carousel has become a landmark in the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park for families. The welcoming public pavilion offers spectacular views of the East River, the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, and the Manhattan skyline.

The transparent jewel box centers Jane’s Carousel within a 72’ x 72’ x 27’ volume, directly beneath a circular skylight of equal diameter. The North and South facades consist of eighteen steel and acrylic operable doors that fold open from the center, framing the view of the North and South portions of the river. The roof is made up of insulated glass units supported by a cable and steel structure, mimicking the structural characteristics of the carousel.

A simple interior of grey concrete flooring, 3″ polished aluminum ceiling strips and a curved tempered low iron glass guardrail focuses the attention onto the colorful details of the carousel. Delicately placed, wood furniture matches the carousel’s platform and reinforces its playful spirit. At sunset, four recessed screens blanket the facades, transforming the pavilion into a lantern that projects a lightshow of distorted shadows. Jean Nouvel’s desires have been met, as the pavilion has become a “fragile little monument in the city.”

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