New York +POOL creator Dong-Ping Wong says new funding is ‘bittersweet,’ voicing concerns over gentrification and accessibility

The long-planned +POOL in New York City has moved a step closer to realization, with Governor Kathy Hochul’s office announcing the allocation of $16 million for the project. Originally conceived in 2010 by design consultants Archie Lee Coates and Jeff Franklin along with architect Dong-Ping Wong, the scheme is designed as a self-filtering, plus sign-shaped pool on the East River. Reacting to news of the funding, Wong commended the city and state’s commitment to the project, along with the “tireless work of the organization and collaborators after years of pushing.” However, the architect also described the news as “bittersweet,” and expressed concerns that the project may have departed from the ethos that conceived it. “When I started + POOL the goal wasn't to just build a pool,” Wong explained in a statement on Instagram. “The goal was to see if it was possible to make big civic changes to the city from the ground up for places that often get overlooked. When we decided to start a ...