PEOPLE TO THE RIVER
HOW DO WE DRAW PEOPLE TO THE RIVER?…Like a beacon of light Woodward Avenue is utilized to create a new Ceremonial Spine through the Riverfront site , creating a PEOPLE TO THE RIVER invitation that extends from the new Sculpture Island out into the connected neighborhoods of Detroit and beyond.
The design iconography of the site reflects the native MOUND BUILDERS of the Detroit River area abstracted as structural geometric spatial units that reorganize the disparate existing site elements into a sculptural whole. The approximately two acre spatial units create human scale for each of the programmed activities within each space. The Design Components:
· Woodward Avenue Promenade
a new pedestrian corridor extending the Avenue
· Sculpture Island
a new island within the Detroit River reflecting Mound Builders
· Dodge Fountain Plaza
an added granite ring around the plaza to define human scale
· Transcending Green
new open green space and new civic buildings with habitable green roof
· Veteran’s Green
new ice skating rink, plaza, and new Veteran’s building with habitable green roof
· Amphitheater
new 1.5 acre grass slope theater with performance stage and shelter
· Great Lawn
new slopped lawn down to river with new Market Hub, E Jefferson Lawn and Prairie Lawn
· Gangway Bridges & Overlooks
new gangway bridges that extend the axis of the park spaces out to the river
· River Walk Plaza
new landscape plantings and river room seating areas along the expanded River Walk
