programmatic potential A quick scan of Washington Square Park during any day will reveal that the park is underutilized, when considering its full potential. The park’s nature has changed from when it was first designed, and is no longer relevant to its surrounding context. Our argument is that the original purpose and form of the park did not hold, due to changes in land-use and functions of the surrounding area. The park surroundings have dramatically changed in use and function, yet the park has not been updated to remain relevant and useful. For instance, our studies show that the path’s circulation is not articulated well, and no longer useful for the typical day user. When considering the unique attractions like Union Station and Crown Center and the Liberty Memorial, as well as the incoming streetcar, Washington Square Park has great potential to become a place of activity for the entire area. Through several studies we investigated the park in depth to find what aspects of the park are lacking and what is inherently good about the site. Using a detailed site map of existing conditions, space studies, and a city-wide park amenity analysis we found that the park offers few amenities and there are few programmed areas for the potential daily user. Demographic and land use studies show that the daily influx of employee population greatly
exceeds the residential population. This suggests that the amount of people greatly decreases at the end of the working day. In addition, through night lighting, tree placement, and canopy analysis, we learned that the park is actually fairly well lit at night, but there are less “eyes on the park” overall. As a result of these two factors, there is a greater perception of danger in the evening and less use overall. Despite the outdated organization and the perceived danger at night, the park does have some inherent qualities that can complement the viewshed to the North. A series of shading and sun studies combined with view and wind studies produced optimal zones within the park that suggest the park can be programmed as a seasonal park. These seasonal qualities make the park unique and the optimal zone studies suggest where and what the programmed areas should be. The park is also used for various festivals, parades, and races. An analysis of the layout of such occasions illustrates that the park can benefit from a structure that could serve a variety of events. This can also take into account the activities of Union Station and Crown Center, which are among the top visitor attractions of Kansas City. From an analysis of the surrounding land values, we found that the location is prime real-estate, as Crown Center and Union Station have some of the highest monetary
values in the vicinity. This led to the conclusion that Washington Square Park has the potential to add value to the neighborhood with the re-design of the park. Most importantly is the park’s potential to be used as a catalyst, and can be the “epicenter and focal point for that whole area.” Developing a program and adding amenities to the park will turn the park into a unique public civic space and make the area around Washington Square Park a destination node, finishing the transformation of the park into an Anchor Park.
97
planned & ongoing projects The planned and ongoing projects within our medium site extents are important to consider as many of them relate to either the site itself or the adjacent areas around the site. The coming of the streetcar and the plan for Making Grand Grand will help connect the site and to the downtown area through the development of pedestrian friendly corridors. The amount of
planned project occurring around the park shows that the area is becoming the focus of development and activity, with Washington Square Park right in the center of it all.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
STREETCAR MAKING GRAND GRAND 20TH STREET STREETSCAPE BALTIMORE/WYANDOTTE STREETSCAPE TRIANGLE PARK UNION STATION SCIENCE CENTER BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD PARKING SKYWALK MEMORIAL GARDEN BEACON HILL HOUSING KC NEXUS 17TH STREET STREETSCAPE W PENNWAY STREETSCAPE
1
2
11
12
4
3
7
5 6
6
10 8
9
98
10 3 4
1
2
7
5 6
6
8 6
9
* Just north of Union Station in Two Pershing Square, 900 GSA employees are being transferred, increasing the number of employees around the park.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
STREETCAR (1) MAKING GRAND GRAND (1) 20TH ST STREETSCAPE (2) BALTIMORE/WYANDOTTE STREETSCAPE (2) TRIANGLE PARK (3) UNION STATION SCIENCE CENTER (2) BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD PARKING (1) SKYWALK MEMORIAL GARDEN (3) BEACON HILL HOUSING (4) KC NEXUS (4)
Number = order of importance with 1 being the most important
99
land value Studying the land values of the parcels within our medium site extents allowed us to see what value the area currently holds. It can be seen that the parcel of the park and those of Union Station and Crown Center are comparatively more valuable than parcels within the Crossroads. With the re-design of
INCREASE EMPLOYMENT DOWNTOWN
Washington Square Park, the value of the park and surrounding parcels will likely increase helping to attract more people to the area. With the Crossroads in close proximity individuals will potentially be influenced to move to that area, increasing the economic affect there as well.
0-500 501-1000 1001-2000 2001-4000 100
With the number of planned projects going on within the area in combination with the current monetary value that the area holds, the Crown Center/ Union Station area is prime for development. Washington Square Park is in the center of this area which gives it great potential to be a catalytic project that enhances the area.
101
daily work flow: residential demographics In order to understand the kinds of commuters in the area, we analyzed where those who live near the park work. The majority of residents
in the vicinity of the park live in the Crossroads District to the north. While this area has recently
grown significantly in population, it is still sparsely inhabited. Most of the buildings in this area are vacant warehouses that are currently being developed into art galleries, event spaces, and lofts.
201+ persons 101-200 persons 51-100 persons
DOUBLE THE DOWNTOWN POPULATION 102
11-50 persons 1-10 persons
POPULATION SCALE: 1�=500’
where kc residents work
LEAVENWORTH
LANSING
To further understand the daily fluctuation of population, we analyzed where those who live in Kansas City work. Most of the KCMO residents work in the city, with the largest concentrations in the Downtown and Plaza areas.
LIBERTY
GLADSTONE PARKVILLE RIVERSIDE
NORTH N RTH NO KANSSASS CITY KANSAS
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
SUGAR CREEK KA A CITY AN NSSAS T KANSAS INDEPENDENCE
BO BONNER SPRINGS
SHAWNEE
BLUE SPRINGS
GRAIN VALLEY VALLE
RA RAYTOWN
OVERLAND PARK
LENEXA
LEE’S SUMMIT
OLATHE
GRANDVIEW
103
daily work flow: employee demographics The residential population was then compared to the employee population to understand the daily fluctuation of people. The Crossroads District includes numerous small businesses while the area south of the rail tracks houses mostly larger businesses, mainly consisting of law firms, insurance agencies, and health care. The chart below shows the kinds of employers within our medium site extents. The largest employer is Hallmark, which is located south of the park near Crown Center. The combined residential and employee demographics show that
most people who work in the area do not live there, making the area of Washington Square Park most active during the work day.
Rail Hotel Food Industry Banks & Offices Lawyers Insurance Agents Health Care Hallmark Cards 0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
DOUBLE THE DOWNTOWN POPULATION 104
0-6 7-18 19-37 Number of Employees
38-70
71-140
141-280
281-600 601-1200 1201-3500 3501-7000
where kc workers live
LEAVENWORTH
LANSING
To further understand the daily fluctuation of population, we analyzed where those who work in Kansas City live. The largest concentration is to the south and east of the park, showing that the majority of people who work in Kansas City live outside of downtown.
LIBERTY
GLADSTONE PARKVILLE RIVERSIDE
N RTH NO NORTH KANSSASS CITY KANSAS
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
SUGAR CREEK KA A CITY AN NSSAS T KANSAS INDEPENDENCE
BO BONNER SPRINGS
SHAWNEE
BLUE SPRINGS
GRAIN VALLEY VALLE
RA RAYTOWN
OVERLAND PARK
LENEXA
LEE’S SUMMIT
GRANDVIEW
105 GARDNER
BELTON
rkers Live
OLATHE
permanent vs transient population To understand the daily fluctuation of people in Kansas City, we compared where people work to where people live throughout the Metro area. This comparison shows that most of the residential population of Kansas City works outside of the city and that most of the working population lives outside the city, meaning that the population
within the city is different during the day than during the evening and night.
106
permanent vs transient population: hotels Studying the residential population of the hotels nearest Washington Square Park shows when the hotel is most occupied during the year and what percentage of the hotel rooms are occupied. This gives us a better picture of when visitors to Kansas City are exposed to the park. During the
spring and summer, 65-90% of the hotel is occupied, making this time of year most attractive to visitors.
Monthly
Percentage of room capacity
Legend Westin
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
Sheraton
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Months
Typical Month
Percentage of room capacity
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 1
2
3
4
5
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
March
107
activity centers This set of maps shows the different types of activity centers within our medium site extents. Each map successively shows what attractions people would be drawn to if they live in Kansas City, if they visit Kansas City from out-of-town, or if they work in Kansas City.
Retail
Transit
Transit
Nightlife Restaurants
Apartments Health Facilitiies
Retail Bank
Auto Repair
Grocery
Apartments
Restaurant
Retail Transit Transit
Nightlife
Cafe
Apartments Apartments
Retail
Cafe
Apartments
Restaurants
Bank
Restaurants
Public Art
Apartments Public Art
Apartments
Health Facilitiies
Transit
Retail Entertainment Restaurant Transit
Transit Public Art
Transit Transit
Health Facilitiies Restaurant
University/ education
Restaurants
Retail
Entertainment
University/ education
Apartments
Public Art
Apartments
Public Art
What attracts residents 108
Public Art
RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY CENTERS
VISITOR ACTIVIT
SCALE: 1”=200’
Retail
Transit
Transit
Transit
Nightlife Restaurants
Nightlife
Restaurant
Transit
Restaurants
Restaurant Retail
Retail
Bank Transit
Museum Arts
Transit Transit
Transit
Nightlife
Arts
Offices
Nightlife
Offices
Cafe
Offices
Cafe
Retail Cafe
Cafe
Museum Restaurants
Restaurants
Bank
Restaurants
Arts
Public Art
Restaurants
Public Art Public Art
Public Art
Transit
Transit
Offices Offices Museum
Offices
Retail Entertainment
Hotel
Offces
Entertainment Restaurant
Restaurant
Offces
Restaurant Transit
Bank
Transit Public Art
Transit
Public Art
Transit
Transit
Transit
Transit
Offices Transit
Hotel Restaurant
Restaurant
Restaurants
Restaurants
Offices
Offices Retail
Entertainment
Restaurant
Restaurant
Public Art
Public Art
Museum
Offices
Entertainment
Public Art
What attracts tourists
Public Art
What attracts office workers
VISITOR ACTIVITY CENTERS
SCALE: 1”=200’
109
RE
Columbus Park
City Market
activity centers
River Market
To better understand the activity of the city, we conducted an analysis of where the activity centers in Kansas City are. The most popular destinations are shown in the diagram, including main traffic-way connections. Through this study, it can be seen that Washington Square Park is surrounded by several of these activity centers which together, attract more than 7 million people to the area annually. This aspect creates a strong potential for programming.
10th
Downtown Loop
West Bottoms
Oak
Grand
Walnut
Main
Broadway
Baltimore
12th
Sprint Center Bartle Hall 14th
Power and Light District
Washington Square Park is located in the area of some of Kansas City’s top attractions, and via major roadways, connects to many of the other attractions in the city.
16th
18th & Vine Performing Arts Center 18th
American Jazz Museum
Crossroads Westside Kemper Arena 20th
American Royal Freight House
Union Station
Hospital Hill
Crown Center
Liberty Memorial WW I Musuem
Longfellow
Union Hill Beacon Hill
110 ACTIVITY CENTERS SCALE: 1”=600’
daily events 24 21
Washington Square Park is surrounded by some of the most influential institutions in Kansas City, which draws many people to the area. This graphic illustrates the operational hours of several activities within the surrounding area to determine programmatic sets for the park to complete the neighborhood.
3
6
18
9
15
Because of it’s close proximity to major attractions and institutions, the park is in a prime location to the fill in any programming gaps and make the area a destination node.
12
24 21
3
6
18
24 9
15
3
21
12
24 3
21
6
18
6
18
12
24 21
9
15
3
6
18
9
15
12 9
15 12 24 3
21
6
18
9
15 12
111
annual events: theaters Taking a closer look at the different institutions that surround the park and what type of events happen there shows when theater performances are happening throughout the year. There is a
gap in theater programming from the fall through the spring in the late afternoon/early evening and year round after 8 pm. Each event is represented by a horizontal line in respect to the month on the horizontal and time of day on the vertical.
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
City Stage at Union Station 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
The Coterie Theater 12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
HeritageTheater at Crown Center 112
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:01
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:00 12:00 12:00
8:00 8:00 8:00
3:00 3:00 3:00
10:00 10:00 10:00
5:00 5:00 5:00
12:01 12:0 12:0
JAN JAN JAN
FEB FEB FEB
MAR MAR MAR
APR APR APR
MAY MAY MAY
JUNE JUNE JUNE
JULY JULY JULY
AUG AUG AUG
SEPT SEPT SEPT
OCT OCT OCT
NOV NOV NOV
DEC DEC DEC
All Theaters
113
annual events: venues Taking a closer look at the different institutions that surround the park and what type of events happen there shows when venues are holding events throughout the year. There is
a gap in venue usage from the fall through the spring during most of the day, in summer during the evening, and year round after 8 pm. Each event is represented by a horizontal line in respect to the month on the horizontal and time of day on the vertical.
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
Sprint Center 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
Hospital Hill
114
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
All Venues
115
annual events: outdoor activities Taking a closer look at the different institutions that surround the park and what type of events happen there shows when outdoor activities are happening throughout the year. There is a gap
in outdoor programming year round in the early afternoon and after 8 pm. Each event is represented by a horizontal line in respect to the month on the horizontal and time of day on the vertical.
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
5:00
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
The Crossroads District 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
Ice Terrace at Crown Center 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
Parades and Races 116
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
All Outdoor Activies
117
annual events: other activities Taking a closer look at the different institutions that surround the park and what type of events happen there shows when other activities are happening throughout the year. There is a gap
in other programming year round in the morning and after 5 pm. Each event is represented by a horizontal line in respect to the month on the horizontal and time of day on the vertical.
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
Kansas City Ballet 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
Kaleidescope
118
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
All other activites
119
annual events Taking a closer look at the different institutions that surround the park and what type of events happen there shows when all events are happening throughout the year. There is a gap in
programming year round in the morning and after 8 pm. Each event is represented by a horizontal line in respect to the month on the horizontal and time of day on the vertical.
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
Theaters 12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
Venues
12:00
12:00
8:00
8:00
3:00
3:00
10:00
10:00
5:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
Outdoor Activities 120
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
12:0
12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
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AUG
SEPT
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12:00
8:00
3:00
10:00
5:00
12:0
All Events 121
parades & races
65% of all routes in our large extents pass Washington Square Park.
Washington Square Park is currently the location for many parades and events. However, when events take place in the park, amenities such as restrooms, entertainment, and food have to be brought in to facilitate the occasion. This map shows the races and parades that occurred during 2013 in the Greater Downtown Area. The majority
of the routes begin and end within our small extents area, and many of the events include celebrations in Washington Square Park after the race/ parade. From this information, we have realized the great potential for the park to become an “event park.”
MARDI GRAS 5K INSPIRED BY DARRELL SUBLETT 5K BREW TO BREW RUN LUNG HILL RUN CITY OF FOUNTAINS BIKE TOUR STILETTO RUN CUPID’S UNDIE RUN THE RIVALRY RUN ROCK THE CROSSROADS HOSPITAL HILL RUN VETERAN’S DAY PARADE AMERICAN ROYALE PARADE BROADWAY BRIDGE RUN UGLY SWEATER RUN BIG 12 5K WADDELL & REED KC MARATHON KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE 122
City of Fountains Bike Tour
Mardi Gras 5K
The Rivalry Run
Rock the Crossroads
Hospital Hill Run
Stiletto Run
Inspired by Darrell Sublett 5K
Ugly Sweater Run
Komen Race for the Cure
kansas city marathon In this plan, there is a noticeably strong use of the southeast entrance near the statue and poor placement of portable bathrooms along the balustrade to the north. Even with the amount of
events that use the park, the way they are set up is very haphazard, supporting the need for a strong program that is versatile enough to support these events.
RESULTS STAGE
STAGE APPAREL MASSAGES FOOD
FINISH LINE
FOOD FOOD GAMES BBQ
SMALL TABLES
TRUCKS PORTABLE TOILETS
PHOTO TENT
STORAGE TRUCKS & EMERGENCY VEHICLES FINISH LINE PHOTOS
INFORMAL GATHERINGS EVENT ACTIVITIES VENDORS START/FINISH 123
ugly sweater 5k run
Beer Garden
Food Trucks
Beverages Portable Toilets
Vendor
Packet Pick-Up
INFORMAL GATHERINGS EVENT ACTIVITIES VENDORS START/FINISH 124
The majority of all parade and race routes begin and end near Washington Square Park, with many of the events including celebrations in the park after the race/parade. Despite this, the events that do take place in the park have no formal organization or relationship with the park, showing the need for strong areas of program.
125
walkability walking radius Washington Square Park is surrounded by many attractions in Kansas City. Exploring the time it takes to walk to each attraction from the park resulted in the discovery that most of
the attractions throughout the city are within a ten minute walk.
2
1
3 4
9
6
5
8 7
primary influences
4
1 2 3 4
4
1
10
15
secondary influences
16
11
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
14
2
13 12
126
UNION STATION LIBERTY MEMORIAL CROWN CENTER OFFICE BUILDINGS / HOTEL
17TH & SUMMIT NODE KAUFFMAN CENTER 18TH & BROADWAY NODE YJ’S COFFEEHOUSE SOUTHWEST BLVD NODE GALLERIES FREIGHTHOUSE DISTRICT LOFTS / THE CASHEW
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
GRINDERS HOSPITAL HILL PARK HOSPITAL HILL SHEILA KEMPER PARK PENN VALLEY PARK IRS POST OFFICE KC BALLET
five minute radius
primary influence
ten minute radius
secondary influence
walking path
park space
influences Studying the influential institutions that surround Washington Square Park led to determining what the primary and secondary influences on the park are. Due to the direct proximity and size of the institutions, Union Station,
Liberty Memorial, Crown Center, and the business plaza to the east are the primary influences on the park.
127
influences More in-depth studies of the primary and secondary influences allowed us to see what function each of the influences has. Primary influential functions
include green space, offices, and the retail and commercial functions of Crown Center and Union Station.
128
129
area of influence Primary and secondary influence studies combined with the walking distance study determined the area of influence for the park. The area of
influence is based off of the influences that are within a five to ten minute walk, including the
Crossroads, Hospital Hill, and Liberty Memorial.
Primary and Secondary Influences 130
Walking Distance
Primary/Secondary Influences + 5-10 minute walking distance
Area of Influence: overlap of influences and walking distance 131
summer shading studies In order to understand some of the inherent qualities of the park, we studied the hourly shadows from the summer solstice. These study maps show the shadows cast by the surrounding buildings during the hours of sunlight throughout the day of June 21. This
8 AM
12 PM
4 PM
9 AM
1 PM
5 PM
6 AM
10 AM
2 PM
6 PM
7 AM
11 AM
3 PM
7 PM
study was done in an attempt to discover which portions of the park are most suited for use in the summer to the amount of shade available throughout the day.
132
summer shading studies The study map below shows the overlay of the shadows throughout the day of June 21. The coinciding map highlights all areas covered in shadow for less than two hours, showing which portions of the park receive the most sun throughout the day, and are therefore less suited for use in the summertime.
During the summer, the southern and northern portions of the park have the least shade, making the middle section of the park the area best suited for use in the summertime.
SHADOW OVERLAY
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN + SHADOWS
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN DURING THE DAY 133
winter shading studies In order to understand some of the inherent qualities of the park, we also studied the hourly shadows from the winter solstice. These study maps show the shadows cast by the surrounding buildings during the hours of sunlight throughout the day of December 21.
This study was done in an attempt to discover which portions of the park are most suited for use in the winter due to the amount of sun available throughout the day.
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8 AM
12 PM
9 AM
1 PM
10 AM
2 PM
11 AM
3 PM
4 PM
winter shading studies The study map below shows the overlay of the shadows throughout the day of December 21. The coinciding map highlights all areas covered in shadow for less than two hours, showing that
a majority of the park receives good sunlight during the winter, making the middle section the most suitable for use in wintertime.
SHADOW OVERLAY
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN + SHADOWS
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN DURING THE DAY 135
optimal zone studies: summer sun This series of studies accounts
for two hours or less of shade from the summer shading study and synthesizes it with the optimal viewing zone study in an attempt to find the optimal places to be within the park during the summer. Each successive map removes excess information to produce the final optimal zones.
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN THAT TOUCH WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SHADE THAT OVERLAP WITH EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SHADE THAT OVERLAP WITH THE OPTIMAL VIEWING ZONE VS ALL SUB-OPTIMAL ZONES
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AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
optimal summer sun zones This map is the final iteration of the series that pairs the viewing zone studies with the shading studies in order to determine a second level of optimal zones. From this, we found that there
AREAS WITHIN THE PARK THAT RECEIVE THE MOST SHADE AND BEST VIEWS NORTH
is an area toward the center of the park that receives good shade in the summer and is a prime location to take in the view to the North, making it the most suitable area for use in the summertime.
137
optimal zone studies: winter sun This series of studies overlays the
area of two hours or less of shade from the winter shading study with the optimal viewing zone study in an attempt to find the optimal places to be within the park during the winter. Each successive map removes excess information to produce the final optimal zones.
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN THAT TOUCH WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN THAT OVERLAP WITH EACH VIEWING ZONE
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN THAT OVERLAP WITH THE OPTIMAL VIEWING ZONE VS ALL SUB-OPTIMAL ZONES
138
AREAS WITH THE MOST SUN IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK PLUS EACH VIEWING ZONE
optimal winter sun zones This map is the final iteration of the series that pairs the viewing zone studies with the shading studies in order to determine a second level of optimal zones. From this study, we found that
AREAS WITHIN THE PARK THAT RECEIVE THE MOST SUN AND BEST VIEWS NORTH
there is an area toward the center of the park that receives good sun in the winter and provides an optimal location to take in the view to the North, making it the most suitable area for use in the wintertime.
139
optimal park zones The series of sun and view studies during the summer and winter resulted in this overlay showing what places in the park are suitable during both seasons. A large area in the
middle of the park is suitable for use in the summer and winter and is a great place to view downtown.
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A good portion of the park, right in the middle, is a great location to be in during the summer and the winter and to take in the spectacular view of downtown. This area could then become the focus of the park and a space where people want to be.
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extended spaces + nodes This series of diagrams takes the previous extended space studies and applies central nodes to determine what immediate site context the park can extend to. Thinking about the park beyond it’s formal boundaries shows that the park is actually several
times larger than it’s current triangular form.
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neighborhood loops Site connection studies show that there are two inherent pathways that connect the neighborhoods around Washington Square Park to the park itself.
Neighborhood loops connect the park to Hospital Hill, Crown Center, Union Station, and the Crossroads.
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northern shortcut The neighborhood loops both meet at Washington Square Park. A shortcut
along the northern edge of the park connects the two neighborhood loops to the park.
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central lag zone Studies of the circulation within the park show that the edges of the park have strong circulation patterns. The
strong circulation edges of the park leave a central lag zone that is uninterrupted by pedestrian paths.
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pershing connector Studying the line of trees along Pershing Ave show how the park can be connected on the south edge. Pershing Ave acts as
an extension of the park that connects it to the south and east.
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grand connector Studies of Grand Blvd, along the east edge of the park show how the current highly trafficked barrier can become a space for the park to extend. Grand
Blvd acts as a connector from downtown and the Crossroads to Crown Center on the northsouth axis and as a connector to the business plaza on the east-west axis.
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northern view Expanding from the viewshed studies, we studied how the optimal viewing zones could inform the view. The central space of
the park, stepped back from the balustrade, offers the formalized view of downtown.
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pedestrian connection A study of the negative spaces around the park shows how the park connects to the surrounding area. The
combination of spaces creates an area that is well suited for pedestrians.
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appendix
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GDAP, FOCUS, and Sasaki Plans Three important city vision plans define the framework for the future design of Kansas City: the FOCUS Plan of 1992, the Sasaki Plan of 2005, and the Greater Downtown Area Plan of 2010. While the FOCUS Plan does not have an actual plan that illustrates it’s concepts, here, some important maps from the Greater Downtown Area Plan and Sasaki Plan are shown. The GDAP is the most pertinent of these and proposes five key objectives to implement the design of a better Kansas City: create a
walkable downtown, double the population downtown, increase employment downtown, retain and promote safe and authentic neighborhoods, and promote sustainability. The two maps from the Sasaki Plan show the specialty areas that are intended to be centers of activity and when proposed gateways and corridors should be implemented throughout the downtown. The two maps from the GDAP on the opposite page show the proposed land use an activity centers throughout the greater downtown area. The GDAP activity centers are adopted from what was proposed in the Sasaki Plan.
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rail infrastructure This series of maps shows the transformation of the rail lines from 1900-2010 and their relationship to Washington Square Park. Over time, the rail lines began to grow in number, peaking in 1925 when Union Station was the gateway to Kansas City. The configuration and number of lines
1900
1909
1925
2010
serving Union Station shaped the northern edge of Washington Square Park, creating the triangular shape the park is today. From 1985 until 2002 there were no passenger trains that came through Kansas City, which decreased the number of rail lines, and Union Station was closed for a time before reopening in 1999.Currently, there are two lines that run through Union Station, one that connects with St. Louis and another that connects with Chicago and Los Angeles.
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Rail Infrastructure 1900-2010
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hydrology This series of maps shows the surface water and floodplains from 1900 until 2010. The surface water conditions depict the transformation of Turkey Creek and the associated flood plains. In relationship to Washington Square Park, Turkey Creek used to run directly to the north of where the park is located. When Union Station was built, Turkey Creek was buried to make the area suitable for the implementation of rail lines.
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Water Conditions 1900
Water Conditions 2010
161
parcels The parcels map shows the change in parcel size from the Crossroads towards the south across the rail tracks. Washington Square Park is located among many of the larger and irregular parcels located south of the railroad tracks.
162 Parcels
zoning The zoning map indicates that Washington Square Park is located within a business/commercial zone with urban redevelopment directly to the north. Along with the right of way, zoning can also help determine the potential for development.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN MIXED USE ? BUSINESS/COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL Urban Redevelopment Downtown Mixed Use MANUFACTURING Urban Redevelopment Business/Commercial Residential
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zoning and parcels This map combines the parcels with the zoning in order to find which parcels are zoned under what use.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN MIXED USE ? BUSINESS/COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL MANUFACTURING 164
right of way The right of way shows where the build-able land is in the city. This can inform where there is some potential to develop because it shows what parts of the city can be built on.
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potential development This map combines the right of way with the zoning in order to find where and what there is some potential to develop.
RIGHT OF WAY URBAN DEVELOPMENT ? BUSINESS/COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL MANUFACTURING 166
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1909
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1925
2014
influential land uses This series of land use maps from 1909, 1925, and 2013 show the change from an underdeveloped industrial district to an area of mainly commercial and institutional uses.
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PARKING INDUSTRIAL VACANCIES RETAIL/COMMERCIAL PUBLIC/INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT 169
parcel ownership The breakdown of parcel ownership shows whether a parcel is owned by an individual, by the city or county, or by a business. The majority of the parcels in the adjacent area of Washington Square Park are owned by businesses.
INDIVIDUALLY OWNED CITY/COUNTY OWNED BUSINESS OWNED 170
Business Owned Parcels Individually Owned Parcels City/County Owned Parcels
business parcel ownership The breakdown of business parcel ownership shows how many parcels are owned by a single business. The parcels denoted in yellow show that it is the only parcel a business owns where the parcels denoted in green show that it is one of five or more properties that a business owns. The area around the park is owned mostly by businesses that own five or more parcels.
ONE PROPERTY TWO TO FOUR PROPERTIES FIVE OR MORE PROPERTIES 171 One Property Two to Four Properties
adjacent parcel ownership The breakdown of parcel ownership adjacent to the site shows who owns the parcels around Washington Square Park. Union Station and the City of Kansas City own most of the parcels directly related to the park.
BELGER REALITY CO INC
LIDIAS FREIGHT HOUSE LLC
AS
KANS
UNION STATION ASSISTANCE CORP
GATEWAY HARRISON INC
UNION STATION ASSISTANCE CORP
UNION STATION ASSISTANCE CORP
UNION STATION ASSISTANCE CORP
FORTIS INC BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
CITY OF KANSAS CITY RP
TIO STA N IO
CO NCE
ISTA
S N AS
UN
CITY OF KANSAS CITY
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A
RMIN
TE CITY
O AY C W L I A LR
CROWN POWER & REDEV CORP
FSP GRAND BOULEVARD LLC
night lighting This map shows the location and amount of light during the night. The pathways are well lit, but some areas are not. This can create a perception of danger during the evening hours. The lack of residents in the area also contributes to this perception.
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pedestrian counts This series of maps is an hourly break down of pedestrian counts taken by the Sly James administration in a study of the Crossroads Arts District. This shows how pedestrians use the area within our medium site extents during the work day. Breaking it up into hourly usage shows when the roads adjacent to the park are used most and what hours of the day potential users can be attracted.
aa aa
6 AM
High Traffic Parcels
Low Traffic Parks
Low Traffic Parks
600Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
12 PM 174
7 AM
High Traffic Parcels
700Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
1 PM
High Traffic Parcels
High Traffic Parcels
Low Traffic Parks
Low Traffic Parks
1200Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
1300Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
8 AM High Traffic Parcels Low Traffic Parks
800Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
2 PM High Traffic Parcels Low Traffic Parks
1400Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
9 AM
10 AM
High Traffic Parcels
High Traffic Parcels
Low Traffic Parks
Low Traffic Parks
900Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
3 PM
1000Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
4 PM
High Traffic Parcels
High Traffic Parcels
Low Traffic Parks
Low Traffic Parks
1500Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
1600Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
11 AM High Traffic Parcels Low Traffic Parks
1100Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
5 PM High Traffic Parcels Low Traffic Parks
1700Parcels Pedestrian Scale: 1” =Scale: 100’ 1” = 100’
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pedestrian counts This maps shows pedestrian counts at our medium site extents, adapted from the study taken by the Sly James administration in a study of the Crossroads Arts District. It is interesting to see that the majority of pedestrians around Washington Square Park either use Grand Boulevard or Pershing Avenue.
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demographics 2010 This diagram shows the male-female relationship according to age, within the GDAP boundaries. Females dominate the younger and older age brackets, but not the 30-49 years age range. The 25-29 age range is significantly higher than others, and males are slightly more numerous is this bracket.
85+ years 80-84 years 75-79 years 70-74 years 65-69 years 60-64 years 55-59 years 50-54 years 45-49 years 40-44 years 35-39years 30-34 years 25-29 years 20-24 years 15-19 years 10-14 years 5-9 years 0-5 years 1500
1000
500 Males
0
500
1000
1500
Females 177
population change This map represents the change in population from 1970 to 2000 as per census data from 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000.
1000% + 101% - 1000% 0% - 100% 0% - -20% -21% - -40% -41% - -60% -61% - -80% -81% - -100% 178 1000% +
101% -- 1000%
-21% -- -40%
-41% -- -60%
2
number of households This map show the change in number of households per number of people from 1970-2010 as per census data.
14 27
0-500 PEOPLE 501-1000 PEOPLE 1001-2000 PEOPLE 2001-4000 PEOPLE 179
defined spaces Real spaces are those areas that were purposefully designed for inhabiting, and include the main entry at the Southeast corner of the site and the space formed by the Link at the Southwest entrance.
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implied spaces This preliminary study was done in an attempt to find implied spaces within the park. Implied spaces are those areas which were not deliberately planned. In the park these include two open areas where trees are lacking which can be used for various activities, along with the path along the balustrade. The real and implied space studies were done in attempt to find how the park is currently organized.
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wind studies In addition to studying the sun, we looked at how the wind affects the site throughout the year. The four wind roses show what the wind is like in Kansas City during the summer, winter, fall and spring. In the summer and fall most of the strong, fast winds come from the south; whereas in the winter and spring, they tend to come more from the northwest.
NORTH
WEST
Summer 182
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
12-16 7-11 1-6
WEST
Winter
EAST
SOUTH
16-20 11-15 6-10 1-5
NORTH
WEST
Fall
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
15-20 10-14 5-9 1-4
WEST
Spring
EAST
SOUTH
16-20 11-15 6-10 1-5
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optimal zone studies: summer wind In addition to the combined viewing and shading studies, we studied the wind in combination with the optimal viewing zones to find the optimal places to be within the park during the summer. Each successive map removes excess information to produce the final optimal zones.
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optimal summer wind zones This map is the final iteration of the series that pairs the optimal viewing studies with wind studies in order to determine another layer of optimal zones. From this study, we found that there is an area toward the center of the park that receives strong winds in the summer and is the optimal location to take in the view to the North, making it the most suitable area for use in the summertime.
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optimal summer zones This series of studies overlays the optimal summer sun and wind zones in an attempt to find the optimal places to be within the park during the summer. The final combined zones show that there is an area in the center of the park that receives good shade and strong winds in the summer and is an optimal location to take in the view to the north, making these places best suited for use in the summertime.
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optimal zone studies: winter wind In addition to the combined viewing and shading studies, we studied the wind in combination with the optimal viewing zones to find the optimal places to be within the park during the winter. Each successive map removes excess information to produce the final optimal zones.
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optimal winter wind zones This map is the final iteration of the series that pairs the optimal viewing studies with wind studies in order to determine another layer of optimal zones. From this study, we found that there is an area toward the center of the park that is blocked from strong winds in the winter and is the optimal location to take in the view to the North, making it the most suitable area for use in the wintertime.
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optimal winter zones This series of studies overlays the optimal winterer sun and wind zones in an attempt to find the optimal places to be within the park during the winter. The final combined zones show that there is an area towards the west side of the park that receives good sun and is blocked from strong winds in the winter and is an optimal location to take in the view to the north, making these places best suited for use in the wintertime.
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Open Lawn Plaza Fixed Seating Movable Seating Restrooms* Pavilion* Water Feature* Play Equipment Food* Amphitheater/Event Seating Transportation Access Art Installations* Recreational Games* Viewing Areas Recycling Gardens* Parking* *Restrooms: only included if permanent on site Pavilion: includes covered shelters Water Feature: encompasses fountains and natural bodies of water, NOT drinking fountains Food: only included if provided on site Art Installations: does NOT encompass memorials Recreational Games: encompasses fields, courts, and trails, NOT dog parks Gardens: includes rain gardens, formal gardens, community gardens, and designed landscaping Parking: only included if there are designated parking spots on site 1 Seasonal
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Berk ley R iverf ront Park Dou glas Park
ila K emp er D ietric Mem h oria l Hil l Opp enst ein P ark Gar men t Dis tict P ark Hos pita l Hil l Pa rk Lon gfel low Park Adm iral P laza Trian gle Park Wes tern Auto Park Troo st P ark Mul key Squ are Jarb oe P ark Wes t Pe nnw ay Was hing ton Squ are Colu Park mbu s Sq uare The Para de
She
This inventory of amenities offered in Kansas City parks is not a comprehensive list of offered amenities; rather, it is a list devised in order to compare Kansas City parks to our case study parks. Compared to our case studies, Washington Square Park lacks many amenities that would activate the park. This inventory is based on the park inventory taken by the 20112012 KCDC studio as a part of the Green + Civic Spaces proposal and site verification.
Pen n Va lley Park Wes Erm t Terrac ine C e Pa ase, rkP+ Ilus Jr. ark Dav is Pa rk Obs erva tion Park Gag e Pa rk
existing amenities: kansas city parks
1
existing amenities: kansas city parks The size and colors of the bubbles represent how often the specific amenity appeared in the overall sum of Kansas City area parks. The weight and colors of the connection lines reflect how often one amenity was present with another amenity in the overall sum of Kansas City parks. The end result shows the relationship between the amenities, and which amenities are used most often in conjunction with other amenities. This diagram can then be compared to the case studies diagram to show where Kansas City area parks can be improved, as well as the priorities of Kansas City parks.
FIXED SEATING
OPEN LAWN
TRANSPORTATION ACCESS
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT RECREATIONAL GAMES
WATER FEATURE
PARKING
PAVILION
PLAZA
GARDENS
AMPHITHEATER /EVENT SEATING
RESTROOMS
ART INSTALLATIONS
VIEWING AREAS
RECYCLING
MOVABLE SEATING
FOOD
10-14 AMENITIES 5-9 AMENITIES PRESENT 1-4 AMENITIES PRESENT 0 AMENITIES PRESENT MEDIUM CONNECTION LOW CONNECTION 193