8. Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Lawn at Lincoln Center
Imagine lounging in the grass of a rolling green hill. Now imagine that hill has panoramic views of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and is located on top of the restaurant, Lincoln. This is the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Lawn, a sloped, triangular-shaped building in the middle of Lincoln Center. The roof-park hybrid opened as part of Lincoln Center’s $1.2 billion renovation project, the angled green lawn is accessible to the public free of charge, by steps built into the structure.
As a small and elevated green space, it gives an impression of solitude even amongst the traffic nearby. You wouldn’t think that a lawn in the bustling Lincoln Center could feel secluded, but its elevation and birds-eye view down West 65th Street help to make it feel like a private place.
The grass is kept in place by a permeable plastic cellular mat called a geoweb, and the lawn is named after Laurie M. Tisch, a philanthropist and the project’s main donor. It’s a great space to lounge, tan, picnic, or just relax in.