Copley Wolff Design Group
Social/Environmental
Our team recognizes the DuSable site as an invaluable physical place and as a powerful political precedent. Its magnificent location marks the site as the waterway entry to the Lake, the City, and the waters that eventually link the Hudson to the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. Its orientation to Navy pier ground it locally, and the prominent Lake Shore Dr. above, actually protects it from excessive developmental greed. Moreover, the site's "touch and go" programming, from construction dump site to parking lot heaven, from commemorative and public park to parking lot once more, set the diabolical stage for the public space dilemma.
We feel that what will permit this site to prosper as a viable public open space is the encumbering fact that a major inner city roadway passes overhead. As such, this conflicted, inaccessible and contaminated site has the potential of being appropriated by the community, by neighboring residents, Chicagoans, strollers and others, and turned into a place that is essential to them. The idea of "for the people, by the people" comes to mind. These individuals will find a way, under the bypass on foot or bike, and by water-boats to get here. Should the site be bounded by waters and easily accessible, away from the bustling roadway, there would be no discussion regarding the ultimate place or space for your, nor our, community. Public space, as it were, would instead remain as an enigmatic notion well versed between developers and politicians. Our proposal is directed toward this philosophy.
We envision the DuSable site first passing through an intense period of bioremediation. Runoff from Lake Shore Dr. that washes into shallow water-collecting basins on site will slowly filter through partially amended soils and sub-bases. These cleaner soils will then have a greater potential for propagating and sustaining plant successions, and these in turn, will further the necessary purification process. Over time, this 'not to be touched nor consumed' vacant earth bed will be restored to a natural rolling meadow. The site's future phasing, albeit an informal recreational field, strolling pasture, grassy knoll arena and amphitheatre, will become, but only as the community imprints them.
It is presumed that the site's cleansing will continue on as the ecological framework becomes fortified. The socio-political agenda, the tangible public open space that is, will also be strengthened. Ideally, the DuSable site will become a natural place where members commune in nature and make program as they see fit.
And in the
end, the commemorative aspect of this park, to DuSable for first claiming
land in Chicago and for the reclamation of public space today, the restored
earth here will be celebrated indeed.
Social/Environmental Entry
Submitted by:
Maria Bellalta, Landscape Designer/Project Manager
Katie Theis, Landscape Designer
Copley Wolff
Design Group
Landscape Architects & Planners
general inquiries: nleblanc@copley-wolff.com
http://www.copley-wolff.com