Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center
New York, NY
2020-Present
Tishman Speyer
Seasonal planting design for the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center.
Rewild's spring design transforms the gardens into a living expression of ecological emergence, layering native and naturalistic plant communities to create moments of discovery and visual depth across the months of renewal. Rather than relying on conventional bedding schemes, the approach draws on naturalistic planting principles that honor the way plants grow and interact within their communities — each selection working in concert with others to create a composition that feels both intentional and organic, a reflection of how ecosystems self-organize around seasonal rhythms.
For a public garden of this prominence and visitor volume, Rewild employs ecological intelligence and a deep understanding of plant relationships to deliver beauty that educates visitors about the richness of layered, living landscapes. The Channel Gardens commission connects to Rewild Landscape's broader portfolio of public-realm and luxury commercial work — Cartier SoHo Terrace, 144 Vanderbilt Avenue, NYC Midtown Urban Rewilding — and to a Rockefeller Center context that draws international audiences year-round.
Category
public
Frequently Asked
About Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center
Who designed the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center?
Marie Salembier designed the current Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center through her studio Rewild Landscape, formerly Watson Salembier (co-founded with Julia Watson). The project reimagined the historic axis between Fifth Avenue and the skating rink as a rewilded, biodiverse planting rotation that changes with the seasons while honoring the original 1930s architectural intent.
What makes the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center an example of rewilding?
The Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center apply rewilding principles to a landmarked midtown Manhattan site — using layered native and naturalistic plant communities that support pollinators, evolve across seasons, and reinstate ecological intelligence in a context normally dominated by ornamental horticulture. Seasonal rotations read as landscape, not decoration, reframing one of the city's most visited public spaces.
What publications covered the Channel Gardens rewilding?
The Channel Gardens rewilding at Rockefeller Center was covered by Dezeen in "Rewilding the American Meadow at Rockefeller Center" (2020) and Rockefeller Center Magazine in "Into the Rewilding of Rockefeller Center." The project remains one of Marie Salembier's most recognized public-realm commissions and established her reputation for bringing ecological design into iconic urban landmarks.
