Governors Island superpark contest.

Five teams of the some of the world's most acclaimed architects and landscape experts are set to compete for the chance to transform destitute Governors Island into a destination park.

The teams were selected by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC) following a Request for Statements of Qualification (RFQ) that was issued in October, 2006, and attracted a plethora of ideas ranging from gondola carriages spanning the East River to outrageous amusement meccas.

A total of 29 teams--comprised of representatives from 65 firms across 10 countries that specialize in the fields of landscape architecture, planning, architecture, art and engineering--submitted proposals for the Island make-over but only five finalist teams have been invited to respond to a second-stage Request for Proposals (RFP) and to participate in a design competition to produce the winning plan for the new park.

"We are so pleased that these internationally renowned teams will participate in the design competition and are gratified by the enormous interest the design community has demonstrated in the transformation of Governors Island," said Pat Foye, chair of the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) of which GIPEC is a subsidiary. The five finalist teams include: Field Operations/WilkinsonEyre Architects; Hargreaves Associates/Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc; Ramus Ella Architects (REX)/ Michel Desvigne Paysagistes (MDP);West 8 urban design & landscape architecture b.v. / Rogers Marvel Architects / Diller Scofidio + Renfro; Rotterdam and WRT LLC/ Weiss/Manfredi / Urban Strategies. Inc.

They will prepare analyses and visual representations of a range of design ideas for the public open space of Governors Island that includes 25 to 40 acres of parkland on the southwestern portion, a waterfront promenade, and Historic District open space which includes a 10 acre Parade Ground, Nolan Park and Colonel's Row.

The submissions will not only be judged by a jury of international design masters, they will be put up for public scrutiny at various forums and exhibitions where people will get the chance to offer their views and be part of the design process.

"We will be selecting a team through this process, not a final design," noted Leslie Koch, GIPEC president.

"We will be reaching out to members of the public and many communities for their input both in this process and in the ultimate design of New York's great new park in the heart of our City's harbor."

A final design selection is expected in summer 2007.