While construction of the monumental Thomas Heatherwick–designed pavilion Vessel in New York’s Hudson Yards began in April, plans for two of the British designer’s highly publicized projects—Pier 55, a Manhattan event venue and park space on the Hudson River, and the Garden Bridge, a verdant pedestrian walkway over the Thames in London—have come to a halt.

In late March, a United States District Court judge ordered to vacate the building permit for the $200 million Pier 55 project, which is funded largely by media mogul Barry Diller and his wife, Diane Von Furstenberg. The ruling was in favor of the City Club of New York, an urban land-use advocacy group opposed to the project for its potential negative impact on wildlife in and around the river, a dedicated estuarine sanctuary. “It’s rather heartwarming that, after all the work we have done, a judge has seen the light,” says City Club president Michael Gruen. “Hopefully, the project is either moved to land or scaled down significantly.”