Rethinking Infrastructure
This strategy explores existing assets in the form of infrastructure that can be reused, hacked, and reformatted. Such innovative use of resources has become a central tactic of sustainable and socially conscious design in contemporary times. Such practices not only save money and assets, but also force the designer and the user to rethink traditional social relations and ossified hierarchies. Claire Olson reuses an existing alleyway as a social, economic, and cultural generator while Richard VanDerWal builds around an existing warehouse in order to share utilities and structural systems. Hyrom Stoke's adaptive reuse of an old industrial building across from the railroad tracks urges us to examine the way we think of homelessness in the neighborhood.
If you are a resident of Washington Park and have ideas about reusing existing infrastructure and local assets please send us a note by clicking here. We will love to collaborate with you and develop your ideas. |
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Rethinking Alleywaysby Claire Olson
“I have this crazy, wild dream…” said Muneer as he waved at the would-be site of Amaranth Alley. Boucher and Muneer both agreed that their area needed a safe recreational space for the youth in the neighborhood and provisions for economic opportunity. What they discussed was a major revision in the way the residents understood their alleyway. They proposed an overhaul of the existing infrastructure, a large-scale beautification program, and the incorporation of several small-scale, self-sustaining economic systems. Amaranth Alley would receive redesign plans similar to those in the Chicago Green Alley system, repurposing existing structures and surfaces to create recreation areas, and a redesign of small-scale structures to support a resident based economic system.
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Rethinking Building Edgesby Richard VanDerWal
From the very first mark made on trace paper, the decisive elements of this project’s design have centered on incorporating the knowledge, expertise, desires, and dreams of the Washington Park community. The goal for creating a vibrant entrance into their neighborhood, the focus on youth development and activities, the incorporation of local art, and the very site of the project were all driven by the input of local residents and business owners. The majority of the work done in this studio followed a similar design process. The design began with the overall goals that community members had for the project, followed by an examination of analytical data taken from extensive research of the neighborhood. Design proposals were critiqued by local residents and business owners, including members from a local architecture firm. The critiques informed further development of the project and particular stakeholders emerged as immediate collaborators around more specific aspects of the project leading to more detailed design proposals.
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