A Project Story

The East Village Courtyard Garden at the Novartis campus in East Hanover, New Jersey, was part of a larger 300 acre North American headquarters that, over time, has become a collection of influential architectural and landscape interventions, similar in spirit to the company’s campus in Basel, Switzerland. Though modest in scale, the courtyard was embedded within a scientific research complex where the primary goal was to foster interaction, collaboration, and informal exchange among researchers and staff.

Working closely with Matt Urbanski, a longtime collaborator and design leader of the firm, and, in my view, one of the most naturally gifted landscape architects in the world, I collaborated on the design with an approach grounded in the study of microclimates, seeking to create a range of spaces that could support year round use. Sun and shade patterns were analyzed to position gathering areas that would be inviting in different seasons, from warm, sunlit spaces in winter to shaded retreats in summer. This environmental framework became the basis for a more spatially driven investigation focused on the spaces in between, where I concentrated on shaping interstitial zones to create a layered hierarchy of open and enclosed areas that could support both individual and group interaction.

This exploration of negative space generated a series of organic forms that, within the studio, became informally known as “the beans,” often with a sense of humor. These were forms I developed as part of the design process, and while they began somewhat playfully, they proved to be instrumental in organizing the space. The idea resonated within the studio and continued to echo throughout the firm’s work and my own career. In many ways, it connects to a longer lineage in landscape architecture, recalling the work of Roberto Burle Marx, where abstract, fluid forms are used to structure space, movement, and experience. What began as a simple diagrammatic move became a generative tool for balancing intimacy with openness and giving the courtyard a distinct identity.

Matt Urbanski’s complementary contribution was instrumental, particularly in the development of the paving strategy. His concept of pairing granite setts with asphalt created a flexible and scalable language that could extend beyond the courtyard to the broader campus. The granite referenced the material character of Novartis’ Basel campus, while the asphalt allowed for a seamless transition into larger landscape areas, producing a cohesive and adaptable ground plane.

The project emphasized the importance of inhabitable space and a strong garden sensibility, even within a highly controlled corporate environment. What began as a small courtyard became an influential prototype, informing subsequent work across the campus and contributing to a broader evolution in the firm’s design language. For me, it was a formative project that helped shape both my approach to spatial design and my understanding of how even modest interventions can have lasting impact.