Chameleon public place Bringing life to urban neighborhoods
Juliette Amyot
INTRODUCTION In a large city, every neighborhoods need a space dedicated to the public to create a sense of community for its residents. Most times, this space is located at the center of the neighborhoods so it is an easy location to access from all directions. People can easily spot it from where they live. It is also usually located near public transit so it can be accessed from outside the local area as well. Often surrounded with local businesses and patched with green spaces and vegetation, this public space is what brings life to an urban neighborhood through social interaction and community gatherings.
THESIS QUESTION How can an unused public space be reactivated as a space for social interaction and community gatherings all year long?
THESIS STATEMENT This thesis project investigates the potential of how a public space can be reactivated with the redesign of its landscape and with the addition of an architectural installation that can be adapted to all seasons to encourage social interaction and community gatherings and engagement all year long.
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WHAT?
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CASE STUDIES
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WHERE?
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WHY?
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HOW?
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CONCLUSION
What is a public space?
What public space will I intervene in?
Why is Logan Square Park unused?
How can Logan Square Park be reactivated?
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What is a public space?
DEFINITION Great public spaces are the living room of the city - the place where people come together to enjoy the city and each other. Public spaces make high quality life in the city possible - they form the stage and backdrop to the drama of life. Public spaces range from grand central plazas and squares, to small, local neighborhood parks. «The measure of any great civilization is its cities and a measure of a city’s greatness is to be found in the quality of its public spaces, its parks and squares.» -John Ruskin
6 principals to a succesful urban public space according to Lori Olin
ACCESS
VALUE
COMMUNITY
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PRINCIPLES EXPERIENCE
RESOURCES
IDENTITY
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Case studies
Place des festivals, Montreal, QC Millenium Park - Crown Fountain, Chicago, IL
Place des festivals, Montreal, QC The Place des festivals in Montreal is a public space that is located in the center of the Quartier des spectacles, which means the arts and culture district. This area is part of downtown Montreal and is active all year long. It is definitely one of the most lively public spaces in the city.
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50% green space Center of arts and culture district VALUE
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Millenium Park, Crown Fountain, Chicago, IL The Place des festivals in Montreal is a public space that is located in the center of the Quartier des spectacles, which means the arts and culture district. This area is part of downtown Montreal and is active all year long. It is definitely one of the most lively public spaces in the city.
EXPERIENCE Night and day attraction
COMMUNITY For parents AND their kid For residents AND tourists Lake Michigan
Millenium Park
Crown Fountain
Chicago Loop
ACCESS Located in between the city and the water front
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Where? Proposed site
LOGAN SQUARE PARK
LOGAN SQUARE PARK
LOGAN SQUARE PARK
Logan Square is culturally diverse neighborhood with a great sense of community from its residents. It is a very densely populated area. The actual Square, which has the same name as the neighborhood, is at its epicenter at the intersection of Kedzie and Logan boulevards and Milwaukee Avenue. It is also where the Illinois Centennial Monument stands, a monument that was built to commemorate Illinois’ 100th year of statehood. This central park was designed by the architect Wlliam Le Baron Jenney. His goal was to design a large green space for the public but also a space destined for the monument.
POPULATION
ETHNIC DIVERSITY
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EDUCATION
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Why is Logan Square Park unused?
crosswalk path
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The park is hard to access because of the lack of crosswalk paths, the large width of the streets and the high traffic.
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The location is at the intersection of 3 main boulevards which increase traffic around and through the park.
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Milwaukee Avenue splits the park in half which reduces the size of the park.
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How can Logan Square Park be reactivated?
1 Reroute traffic Bloc part of Milwaukee Ave
2 Design a seasonally adaptable architectural installation that will draw people to the Logan Square public park all year long.
AIADO 6220-002: Arch/Inarch: Graduate Studio 6 - Thesis Spring 2019
Juliette Amyot