Location
Brooklyn, NY
Completion
2007
Client
The Neptune Foundation
Square Footage
20,000 SF
Architect
Jonathan Kirschenfeld Associates
The Floating Pool
Sciame was the Construction Manager responsible for the construction of the the Floating Pool project, which was inspired by the floating baths of the late nineteenth century. The Neptune Foundation commissioned the design and construction of a prototype for a new generation of movable waterfront pools for recreationally underserved communities.
The Floating pool was built within an existing steel deck barge 80’ by 260’. Locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, a spray pool and a snack bar are collected around a raised court and terrace overlooking the seven lane, 25 meter swimming pool. The retrofitted barge is reached by two dramatic aluminum gangways and accommodates 170 swimmers at one time.
The initial work, performed in a shipyard in Louisiana, had been delayed. Sciame was responsible for planning and overseeing all construction activities from the time the barge (shell) arrived in NYC through the grand opening on July 4, 2007.
Project Awards
International Design Awards (IDA)
First Place/Renovation Category
Building Brooklyn Awards
Brooklyn Innovator Category
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Best Pool for 2008
Municipal Art Society of New York
MASterworks Best Neighborhood Catalyst Award
Cooper-Hewit National Design Award
Runner Up, People’s Design Award
Dwell Magazine
Nice Modernist
Jonathan Kirschenfeld Associates
Honor Award
What a night! A huge thank you to everyone who came out on Wednesday to represent Team Sciame at the 2025 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Central Park!
Despite the weather, the Sciame team showed up strong, lacing up and powering through the 3½-mile course!
We’re proud of the determination, camaraderie, and good humor everyone brought to a soggy evening in the park.
#jpmcc
New York Construction’s Contractor of the Year – Looking back, 2006 was a standout year for Sciame Construction. We were honored as Contractor of the Year, a testament to our growing reputation for delivering some of New York City’s most architecturally daring and culturally significant projects.
In April 2006, Sciame Construction completed the Morgan Library and Museum Expansion, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and BBB Architects. The project was led by then EVP/Division Head Joseph Mizzi, who began his career at Sciame 11 years earlier in 1995.
The following month, our founder, Frank Sciame, passed the torch of day-to-day leadership by promoting Joseph Mizzi to President of Sciame Construction, while continuing to serve as Chairman and CEO.
This leadership transition helped shape the next chapter of our story, and was memorialized in the cover photo of New York Construction, and the firm’s Contractor of the Year honor.
Thanks a Half-Billion! – At Sciame Construction, we proudly led the effort to reimagine the WTC Memorial and Museum, a project of national significance. Frank Sciame, our founder, was tasked with creating a design that honored the original vision while staying within a $500 million budget. Working closely with Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, and a team of 13 advisers, including notable figures like Jack Rudin and Robert Douglass, we developed cost-effective design options, ultimately reducing the budget from nearly $1 billion to $510 million. Our approach preserved key elements like the voids, waterfalls, and pools while optimizing infrastructure and resizing the museum. Sciame’s commitment to excellence ensured a memorial that balances beauty, dignity, and sustainability.
Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center – Though relatively small in size, the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center was a technically complex project successfully constructed and delivered by Sciame Construction. This groundbreaking laboratory made an outsized impact on global health. It was here that Dr. David Ho pioneered the development of the revolutionary “AIDS cocktail,” a combination therapy that transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable condition. His groundbreaking work earned him the title of TIME magazine’s Man of the Year, underscoring the center’s profound contribution to the fight against the AIDS epidemic.
