Aiming to create a riverfront like none other in the world, landscape architect Matthew Edward Getch and architect Maciej Woroniecki shared with us their proposal in the Detroit by Design 2012 competition where they received the 2nd overall prize and the first prize for the People’s Choice Award. The goals of their proposal were born from Detroit’s apparent weakness. They established linear interventions which recognized the severed parks and green networks and utilized them to reconnect the citizens of Detroit back to the riverfront through pedestrian friendly portals. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Located within the epicenter of Detroit, the Riverfront Linear Park finds itself in an ideal location between a variety of social and economic diverse neighborhoods, rich ecology and extensive urban program. With an established identity and strong existing form, the Riverfront was not viewed as a blank canvas, but as a work in progress. The large stands of existing forest and tree groves, established green spaces, pedestrian networks and existing circulation systems were constraints which needed to be respected and accounted for in a proposal of this size. With these constraints in mind, the team identified and made proposals to counteract the urban issues which currently face the Detroit area:
