AIA 150

On August 4, 2007 AIA Cincinnati held a public design and envisioning workshop to explore the potential of covering Fort Washington Way with decks. This includes the four blocks bound by 3rd and 2nd Street from the North/South and Main and Elm Street from the East/West. The event titled “Greening the Gap” was part of a nationwide celebration of the founding of the American Institute of Architects 150 years ago.

 

 

Over eighty people participated in the session. The workshop revealed an overwhelming consensus on the importance of creating the deck covers and on establishing a strong link between the riverfront development and the existing downtown.

 

As specific designs were created, two development strategies emerged with an equal number of participants supporting each. One strategy developed a plan that contained mostly open, green space. The other strategy envisioned significant development on the majority of the blocks. The block directly north of the Freedom Center was conceived as mostly open space in both versions.

 

Sustainability was at the core of this exercise. A significant number of sustainability and green design strategies were prevalent through-out the projects and provided interesting design and educational opportunities while also conserving resources and lowering the environmental impacts of the future project.

 

The event concluded with the participants expressing strong support for reclaiming the area over the interstate in a way that enhances the connection between the existing downtown and the future riverfront development of “The Banks”.

 

Consensus Recommendations

 

Event Summary Poster (258 Kb PDF)

Final Report (1.5 Mb PDF)

 

The participants were actively engaged throughout the charrette in a lively exploration of the role the deck covers could have in supporting the downtown and the new riverfront developments. The discussion included both programmatic elements and issues of design character. The range and richness of the discussion is evident in the details of this report. It is important to note that while their was strong consensus on the value of creating the deck covers, the group split almost evenly on whether the urban design character should express a mostly open space solution or a more developed urban context. Hopefully the work of the charrette participants will serve as a starting point for the detailed development of the deck covers as the project moves forward. The following points received overwhelming support and represent the consensus recommendation of the Charrette:

 

* Connecting the riverfront to downtown is essential to the vitality of both.
* Current conditions constitute a major barrier (16 lanes of traffic).
* Foundations were put in place in anticipation of deck development.
* Replacing interstate with parks and development transforms the area.
* It is an opportunity to add three acres of urban space in a key location that should not be lost.

 

The results of the charrette will be presented to the City Planning Commission with the objective that the recommendations be incorporated into the Central Riverfront Urban Design Master Plan.

 

Paul Muller, AIA

All Rights Reserved AIA Cincinnati 2008