Originally constructed in 1966, the Lasker Rink and Pool has become an unsightly barrier at the northern end of Central Park. The new 32,000-square-foot, 2-story Harlem Meer Center in Manhattan features a larger-than-Olympic-size pool that transforms into a flexible recreation space in spring and fall and an ice-skating rink in winter.

Opening onto the pool deck, there will be a light-filled pavilion that provides a gathering space and public amenities for pool, rink, and park patrons—all integrated into the topography of the Park through a design that blurs the line between landscape and architecture.

The new facility will be constructed as part of a full redevelopment of the site that includes repairing and revegetating the landscape, recreating the stream course that historically flowed into the Meer, and establishing a wetland edge and boardwalk along the shoreline adjacent to the new facility.

Featuring an extensive green roof system, the new Harlem Meer Center will be the mechanical plant and comfort area for the 50,000-square-foot amenity space.

The Harlem Meer Center is regarded as the most significant and complex project undertaken by the Central Park Conservancy.