F U L L C I R C L E CU LT UR AL AND C IVI C AXIS F U LL C I RC LE - - PDF document

SLIDE 1

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

Connect east and west with River Ferry Loop and shuttle bus to River Center and Casino Connect Trendley Avenue Cultural Corridor to Park Create the River Center and Oxbow Lake and Park Extend Washington Avenue Corridor to the river Connect and activate Chouteau's Landing with new programs Activate Laclede’s Landing with the Cultural Canopies and Grand Stair Fulfill JNEM Cultural and Natural Heritage Landscape Expand and revitalize visitor’s center and museum with new programs Connect Gateway Mall to the Memorial Grounds Connect to Illinois Route 3 providing direct access and improved visibility to East st. Louis and to Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park / River Center Extend Eads Bridge Green Promenade west to east Connect Busch Stadium to Park Complete Multimodal Loops Create active recreational facilities under highway at Chouteau's Landing Complete East Riverfront Industrial Heritage Park, promenade and riverfront bikeways and trails Complete East Side Gateway, RV Orchard, Picnic, Play + Parking Groves Complete the Ecological Park Connect Poplar Street Pedestrian Bridge to East St. Louis Create Waterfront Urban Bluffs, Esplanade and Trails Cultivate landscape with Urban Nursery for the two cities Create the Urban Forestry Cooperative Expand the Mississippi Riverboat Experience Expand economic vitality with urban agriculture, community gardens center and riverside energy systems Expand Ecological Greenway and reconnect to Cahokia Creek Connect “City to River” Boulevard at Memorial Drive to weave the city to the park Extend a vision of Sustainable Urban Ecology Create a National Park

• f the Mississippi River

N 0’ 125’ 250’ 50’

F U L L C I R C L E

A VISION FOR 2015: TRANSFORM, REJUVENATE, AND CONNECT

Connect the city to the park, east and west banks, and the parks to the river

GROW AND EXTEND

Complete land acquisitions and expand partnerships and programs

2015 AND BEYOND: EXPAND THE CIRCLE, EMBRACE THE REGION

Extend river restoration and urban connections. Create a new international icon for green urbanism EAST SIDE PLAYGROUND East Side Gateway: Green earthforms welcome visitors to the new park, further into historic districts of East Saint Louis, and beyond to ancient Cahokia Mounds. Picnic, Play + Parking Groves: Vast surface lots are reconfigured with picnic areas and playgrounds to make parking fun for visitors to Casino Queen and the River Center. RV Orchard: Overlooking the River, a forested RV park along with public boating, fishing and skating

• n Oxbow Lake, provide year round activities for

people of all ages. OXBOW PARK Oxbow Lake: A century of post-industrial fill is excavated to reveal abstracted, ancient backwaters

• f the Mississippi, reclaiming the landscape Lewis

and Clark discovered. Woodland + Wildflower Knoll: Rising up from Oxbow Lake, an upland forest atop a sculpted landform is rich with meadow clearings, full of wildlife to rediscover. Marshland Meander: Paths and kayaks wind through layers of floodplain forests and wetlands,

• ffering urbanites a glimpse of what the Mississippi

was, and could be. MISSISSIPPI RIVER CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL CENTER Mississippi Panorama: Aloft a monumental landform, a newly constructed horizon to the west spreads out toward the Arch and the mighty Mississippi, the Father of the Waters. Prairie Play Fields: Ascending the River Center mound, visitors can wander or play on the upland plain and then settle on the eastern embankment to watch the sun set over the Arch. Malcolm W Martin Gateway Geyser and Performance Pier: The cultural axis of the two cities erupts at theatrical events on Oxbow Lake as the tallest stream of water acts as the dramatic backdrop. Living River Labs: The River Center becomes a collaborative magnet for universities and

• rganizations devoted to research and education on

the Mississippi’s health, from the heartland to the Gulf. URBAN NURSERY MOUNDS Tree Farm: Two large hillsides are cultivated in an initiative to restore the urban canopy of the two cities while also serving as a new cash crop for East

• St. Louis.

Seed Bank: While researching and testing adaptive ecological systems, more plants are grown for the restoration of urban and post-industrial floodplains along the 2,320 miles of the Mississippi. Sapling Shed: Visitors gather for tours of the Urban Nursery to recognize all the plants they see in Oxbow Park and to buy a souvenir seedling for their backyard. INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PARK + ESPLANADE Riverfront Railyards: A field of remnant railroad tracks, only a fraction of thousands that once lined the eastern shore, becomes an outdoor museum tracing East St. Louis’ history as the second largest rail center in America. East Riverfront Landing + Promenade: The river ferry loop stops at the River Center where visitors can walk along the levee and the natural waterfront edge to watch the workings of the Cargill plant and production lines of the urban nursery and soil depot. Soil Depot: The long lines of the railroad beds supply space for soil remediation and the production of clean fill from river sediment enriched with biosolids, a new industry for urban regeneration. EAST ST. LOUIS URBAN AGRICULTURE Community Garden Center: Host to the two cities’ vibrant urban agriculture organizations, productive fields and gardens provide a sustainable source of food for local communities, demonstrating a healthy food model for the region. Riverside Energy Fields: A laboratory for emerging sources of energy including distributed photovoltaic solar fields, wind turbines, and farming

• f bio-fuel crops, these new regenerative facilities

generate more energy than they consume. Geoexchange fields will provide ground-source cooling for the HVAC systems in the River Center and other nearby buildings. Urban Forestry Cooperative Extension: Promoting the health and cost benefits of a robust urban forest, a Co-op offers urban greening information while trees are being loaded up for distribution into the two cities’ neighborhoods. CULTURAL AND CIVIC AXIS Luther Ely Smith Plaza / Memorial Drive: Linking the city and the park, Luther Ely Smith Plaza descends from the Old Courthouse to the Museum

• f Westward Expansion, joining with the

monumental allees of the memorial landscape. Traffic is re-rerouted around new pedestrian plazas at Memorial Drive, improving pedestrian connections to the park and the Old Cathedral. Old Courthouse: Accessible paths bring visitors up to experience the dramatic views along the cultural axis and interact with exhibits on the Dred Scott trial and other highlights of historic St. Louis. Kiener Plaza: Extending Citygarden, this multi-use gathering space welcomes changing art programs and large public events. Visitors can picnic under shady trees or dine at the new Park Pavilion and Visitor Center. CHOUTEAU’S GREENWAY AND RECREATIONAL LANDING 2nd Street Gateway: Alive with artist spaces and active recreational grounds and wetlands that weave over and under existing highways, 2nd Street is a lively threshold to the revitalized Chouteau’s Landing and Greenway. Park Steward Center: The NPS Maintenance Building is a working lab where visitors learn about sustainable park operations. A bike rental and repair facility encourages active recreation, boosting the economic potential of Chouteau’s Landing. Outdoor Classroom: Invigorating the South Grounds, visitor lounge and learn in a new amphitheater and outdoor classroom overlooking a rooftop stage on the Park Steward Center. . Poplar Pedestrian and Bikeway Bridge: Revamped infrastructure on Poplar Street Bridge invites locals and visitors to launch from Chouteau’s Landing to more recreation on the eastern shore. MISSISSIPPI RIVERBOAT EXPERIENCES Full Circle Ferry Loop: The River Ferry Loop brings people full circle from the Memorial Grounds to the River Center, rounding out the experience of a new, urban National Park. Mississippi River South: Traveling south from

• St. Louis on open stretches of water, visitors reach

national historic sites, a national cemetery, and a conservation area. Mississippi River North: Crusing north past preserved bottomland forest and the Cahokia Mound World Heritage Site, visitors experience the great confluence of the Missouri, Illinois, and Mississippi rivers and a sequence of locks and dams, witnessing the commercial capacity of the river. MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL GROUNDS Museum of Westward Expansion: Newly illuminated by an arch of glass inverting the shadow cast by Saarinen’s Arch, visitors experience the museum on a continuous route. The Trainspotting Cafe offers wide views to the river at a new window inscribed through the grand staircase. Memorial Grounds: In keeping with the recommendations of the 2010 Cultural Landscape Report, the design intentions of Dan Kiley are fulfilled to complete and enhance the Memorial

• landscape. The existing canopy is thickened to form

the imagined “Forest” and the understory texture fulfills Kiley’s vision for a “Meadow. ” Accessible paths connect to the reflecting pools, reframing the Arch and an unforgettable landscape experience. URBAN RIVERFRONT Waterfront Center Stage: The grand staircase becomes an eventful amphitheater of riverside spectacles afloat the performance barge while also serving as an everyday urban stoop to watch the theater of the Mississippi. Urban Bluffs: Visitors cross over new bridges to abstracted landforms on the waterfront that host a variety of food and entertainment barges, all accessible through low and high water. As hybrids

• f the historic cobblestone levee and native riparian

landscape, they shape an economically vibrant urban shore that embraces the fluctuating river. West Waterfront Trails: A wandering promenade connects the park to a regional network

• f riverfront trails and bikeways.

CULTURAL CANOPIES AT LACLEDE’S LANDING The Market Canopy and Café: Shops bustle, ice skaters spin, and children play under the articulated glass, steel, and photovoltaic paneled canopy that shelters and provides energy for events atop the parking garage. A new Riverfront Café at the North Overlook offers spectacular views of Eads Bridge and the River. The Eads Grand Stair: Extending the arching paths of the Memorial Grounds north, a new grand stair cascading through the Market Canopy and parking garage connects park life to street life. Washington Avenue Corridor: The vitality of this commercial corridor is extended from the city to the river with new façade over the retrofitted garage coming to life with offices, shops and a Park Ranger Station, next to the beautiful arches of the historic bridge. Eads Bridge Promenade: People strolling or biking along Washington Avenue can either take an elevator down to continue along the waterfront esplanade or choose to cross the Mississippi on new paths made possible by reduced traffic, pausing to rest in the shade and appreciate the incredible views. FULL CIRCLE DESTINATIONS 1. New Kiener Plaza 2. Old Courthouse 3. Luther Ely Smith Plaza 4. Memorial Drive Plazas and Connections 5. Old Cathedral 6. Museum of Westward Expansion 7. Memorial Grounds 8. Trainspotting Café Window 9. Waterfront Center Stage

• 10. Urban Bluffs North
• 11. Urban Bluffs South
• 12. Full Circle Ferry Loop
• 13. Laclede’s Cultural Canopy
• 14. Eads Grand Stair
• 15. Riverfront Café at North Overlook
• 16. Laclede’s Landing
• 17. Eads Bridge Promenade
• 18. East Side Gateway
• 19. RV Orchard
• 20. Picnic, Play + Parking Groves
• 21. Future Cahokia Creek Connection
• 22. Casino Queen
• 23. Cargill
• 24. East St Louis Urban Agriculture
• 25. Riverside Energy Fields
• 26. Urban Forestry Cooperative
• 27. River Center / Living River Labs
• 28. River Center Mississippi Panorama
• 29. Prairie Playing Fields
• 30. Malcolm W. Martin Gateway Geyser and

Performance Pier

• 31. Oxbow Park and Lake
• 32. Woodland Wildflower Knoll
• 33. Marshland Meander
• 34. Urban Nursery Mounds / Tree Farm
• 35. Industrial Heritage Park Esplanade
• 36. East Riverfront Landing + Promenade
• 37. Poplar Pedestrian and Bikeway Bridge
• 38. Chouteau’s Greenway and Recreational

Wetlands

• 39. 2nd Street Gateway
• 40. Park Steward Center
• 41. Outdoor Classroom
• 42. Busch Stadium Pedestrian Bridge
• 43. Mississippi River North
• 44. Mississippi River South

1 2 6 4 5 7 3 10 9 12 11 8 4 7 12 13 14 17 15 16 19 30 29 28 27 26 25 18 22 20 23 21 24 31 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 34 41 42 40 39 43 44 25

SLIDE 2

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

ECOLOGY CULTURE/URBAN LIFE TRADE/TRANSPORT

75,000 BCE The Upper Mississippi River is primarily shaped by the Great Ice Age, The Wisconsin Period. People from Asia migrate across Beringia to America becoming the first human settlement of the Americas. 20,000 BCE 12,000 BCE 1,000 BCE The Paleo-Indians are the first Native American inhabitants in Missouri. Native Americans of the Woodland Era in Missouri adopt gardening and pottery making. Woodland Pottery Mississippi River Mound Building Ancient Cahokia Mississippian Culture 1764 The city of St. Louis is founded by Pierre Laclede

• Liguest. Laclede chooses the site of St. Louis on top
• f a gently sloping plateau where a break in the

limestone bluff gives easy access to the river. 1400 The population of Mississippians declines in Cahokia due to over-hunting and deforestation. 1750 The French Canadians are the first European settlers who migrated east of the river to the area of present day,

• Ste. Genevieve.

1804

• 06

Lewis and Clark embark on a scientific expedition to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Thomas Jefferson 1803 In the Louisiana Purchase, the United States acquires 828,800 square miles of land encompassing 14 current US states during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Lewis and Clark, 1803 1812 The New Madrid Fault System, a major seismic zone, is responsible for the destruction of houses in New Madrid, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri. 1817 The steamboat era begins and St. Louis is transformed into a commercial center and inland port. 1817

• 56

Bloody Island, a sandbar in the Mississippi River

• pposite St. Louis, is the location in which duels are

engaged. 1849 1849 The Great Fire destroys a significant part of St. Louis in which flames from burning steamboats leap onto buildings.

• St. Louis becomes the "Gateway to the West" with the

discovery of gold in California. Great Fire of 1849 Anheuser-Busch headquarters a small brewery in St. Louis 1852 1853 Washington University in St. Louis, a private university named for George Washington, is founded. 1857 Supreme Court rules in the Dred Scott Case, one of the most important cases ever tried at the St. Louis’ Old Courthouse. Dred Scott, 1857 1859 The Missouri Botanical Garden is completed. Henry Shaw a botanist and philanthropist is the founder of the garden. 1874 The Eads Bridge, a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Louis, is considered the longest arch bridge in the world. Construction of Eads Bridge, 1873 Forest Park is officially opened. At 1,293 acres, it is

• ne of the largest urban parks in the United States.

1876 World’s Fair of 1904 1900 Riverboats are used to carry passengers and cargo on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri River. 1904

• St. Louis, the fourth largest city in the United States at

the time, hosts a major international World’s Fair in which new foods are introduced such as the waffle-style ice cream cone, hamburger, hot dog, peanut butter, ice tea, and cotton candy. Spirit of St. Louis The National Park Service, the US federal agency that manages all national parks, national monuments, and conservation and historical sites, is founded. 1916 National Park Service Logo The United States has an economy boom from World War I. In search of better working and living conditions, African Americans migrate to St. Louis at a rate of 2,000 per week. 1917 1947 Architect, Eero Saarinen, and landscape architect, Dan Kiley, win the “Gateway to the West” Competition. 1927 Sprit of St. Louis is flown solo by Charles Lindbergh from NYC to Paris. 1869 The St. Louis’s Big Mound is destroyed for railroad fill. 1985 the Least Tern indigenous to Missouri, is listed on the endangered species list. “Gateway to the West” Competition Proposal 1953 (I-70) is constructed, traversing the length of Missouri, west to east. The Cahokia Mounds are designated as a National Historic Landmark. 1964 1965 The Gateway Arch spanning 192 m tall and 192 m wide at the base finishes construction. Gateway Arch

• St. Louis Levee

Full Circle 1970 Laclede’s Landing, multi-block arrangement of cobble streets and industrial warehouses dating from the 1850s to 1900, is a converted into shops, restaurants, and bars. Laclede’s Landing Least Tern 1993 The Great Flood of 1993 is one of the most costly and devastating floods to ever occur in the US. 1993 The Casino Queen, a riverboat casino located on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River near St. Louis,

• pens.

2009 Osage Indians buy the last St. Louis Indian mound, Sugar Loaf Mountain. 2010 CityArchRiver Competition, Framing a Modern Masterpiece. 2015 CityArchRiver completion date is set for October 28, 2015, the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Arch.

• St. Louis Courthouse

1828 The Old Courthouse, constructed in the Federal style of architecture, is completed. 1540 Spanish Explorer, Spanish Hernando de Soto, is the first European to enter Missouri. Ragtime, a style of jazz with syncopated rhythm, is heavily popular in St. Louis during the late 19th to early 20th century. Scott Joplin, the most noted ragtime composer, moves to St. Louis in 1900.. 1897- 1917 Mary Meachum organizes an escape for a group of enslaved African Americans to cross the Mississippi River 1855 Mississippian Culture, a mound-building Native American culture, flourishes in present-day St. Louis and in Cahokia. 1000

ICONS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND HISTORIES OF CULTURE, ECOLOGY, AND TRANSPORTATION ARE WOVEN TOGETHER TO FORM A COMPELLING VISION FOR THE FUTURE

A NEW PUBLIC LANDSCAPE

FULL CIRCLE: A RENEWED INTERNATIONAL ICON THE TERRITORY OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ITS RIVERBANKS COMPRISE A VAST AND COMPLEX SET OF HISTORIES, ECOLOGIES AND EVER CHANGING TERRITORIES. THE ARCH AND THE MEMORIAL GROUNDS CELEBRATE AN IMPORTANT NATIONAL STORY AND FORM AN ICON KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. PHYSICAL SEPARATIONS HAVE DISCONNECTED THIS ICON FROM CITY AND RIVER AND LIMITED THE VIBRANCY OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY SETTING. FULL CIRCLE TIES TOGETHER THE TAPESTRY OF THE PAST AND PRESENTS A NEW REGENERATIVE VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

Urban life, infrastructure, and nature are reciprocal conditions that together can transform this extraordinary setting into a new paradigm. Landmark and landscape, city and water, infrastructure and ecology, destination and retreat: the essence and potential of this national park resides in celebrating these multiple histories, identities, and ecologies. Full Circle reconnects city to the park and the park to the river, embracing the Mississippi River as its center. The monumental civic axis of St. Louis is extended over the highway to connect the city to the park. Strategic improvements on the Memorial Grounds will preserve this modernist icon and introduce new accessibility and sustainable standards. The expanded museum will act as a catalyst to bridge history and community, culture and ecology, integrating the site into the larger cultural network of the St. Louis region. To the north, the vibrant Washington Street corridor connects to Laclede’s

• Landing. To the south, the emerging Chouteau’s Greenway will

be linked to create a new entry to the park. The East St. Louis riverbank offers dramatic contrast to the modernist icon created by Saarinen and Kiley. Here, the landscape is redefined as a network of new earthworks, waterways and paths that meander to reach new settings for recreation and public life including a new river center and ecological park that restores the lost river ecology. As a major flyway and a marine habitat, we propose new settings to enhance the site’s ecological performance. New connections between St. Louis and East St. Louis complete the loop: Eads Bridge hosts a new linear park and the piers of Poplar Street Bridge are leveraged to support a new pedestrian and bike loop. Now, at the heart of the country and at the confluence of two rivers, St. Louis and East St. Louis have an opportunity to transform a place of lost nature into a place of multiple

• natures. Envisioned as an interwoven network of ecologies,

programs and pathways, Full Circle defines an embracing vision for two cities, one park, and one river, and creates a new model for a sustainable urban waterfront.

CREATE A LONG TERM VISION

Reframing the Gateway Arch involves reframing the story of a national memorial. How does a memorial help us to understand who we are today by retelling a story of our past? How is

• ur past the beginning of a national narrative that defines
• ur future? When St. Louis asked these questions with the

creation of the Arch 50 years ago, the story of westward expansion spoke to values of determination and exploration. The courageous effort to create a new territory resonated with our efforts to promote our culture and values. American determination for political, economic, and technologic progress is expressed through the bold form of Saarinen’s Gateway arch. While this narrative continues to resonate today, we see our design as an opportunity to tell a broader story and activate the larger region. Full Circle will transform the site by 2015 by re-connecting to the city, creating new ecologies and forging a new civic identity focused on the river. The design is deliberately open-ended, envisioning new networks and programs, connections, and ecological corridors that will expand with time and reinforce the mission of existing cultural and ecological organizations in the region. Full Circle recovers and renews narratives of culture, ecology, transportation, and trade, defining the starting point of a larger journey and a national destination.

A DISCONNECTED LANDMARK

Visible for miles, the Gateway Arch is recognized and celebrated around the world for its engineering and sculptural elegance. Like the pyramids at Giza and the Washington Monument, the arch is timeless, compelling, and provocative. How can we preserve, enhance, and reconnect this icon to its setting? The Gateway Arch is currently isolated, separated from the city and river by criss-crossing roadways, highways, bridges, and rail lines. Transportation in the region once facilitated the flow of commerce and industry, yet erased cultural landmarks, and over time has interrupted the region’s ecology and formed barriers within communities. The limestone bluffs of the river’s edge were leveled to create the existing levee; the Native American mounds of “Mound City” were destroyed and used as fill in the construction of the railroads; and the regions plains, forests, wetlands, and communities were sliced apart by new highways. Full Circle recognizes that well designed infrastructures and well designed spaces can connect rather than separate, heal rather that destroy.

CONNECT, ENHANCE, AND EXTEND

Full Circle establishes a renewed identity for the Arch, the cities of St. Louis and East St. Louis, and most importantly, the Mississippi River, where cultural, recre- ational, ecological, industrial and artistic activities are free to overlap and find new intersections.

SLIDE 3

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

1 1 1 1 OLD COURTHOUSE MUSEUM OF WESTWARD EXPANSION GRAND STAIRCASE KIENER PLAZA LUTHER ELY SMITH PLAZA & MEMORIAL GROUNDS TRAINSPOTTING CAFÉ WINDOW WATERFRONT CENTER STAGE

AN UNFOLDING SERIES OF LANDSCAPES CONNECT CITY AND PARK, LINKING VIEWS BETWEEN THE MUSEUM, COURTHOUSE, AND RIVER

ARCH LAWN STAGE

LINKED LANDMARKS

MUSEUM MEZZANINE The mezzanine overlooks the light-filled entry to the expanded museum and frames views over Luther Ely Smith Plaza to the Old Courthouse KIENER PLAZA New arts programs for emerging artists enliven Kiener Plaza and create a vital link through the Gateway Mall to the National Park A new green platform crosses I-70 and connects the city to the park and the park to the river Strategic interventions create lively programming opportunities while preserving the character of the Gateway Arch, the Museum of Westward Expansion, and the Memorial Grounds. A new park landscape extends from the city’s civic axis through to the river; forming a connection between city and river. Enhanced park features and new arts programs enliven the important civic space of Kiener Plaza. A new Visitor Orientation center provides an introduction to the educational and historical vitality of the Park and allows universal access to the Old Courthouse. A newly imagined Luther Ely Smith Plaza forms a green public platform that spans over I-70 to boldly connect city to park. At this new plaza, two arcing paths begin near the Old Courthouse and gradually ascend to meet the monumental allées of the Kiley Memorial Grounds while a stepped green plaza descends gently from the Old Courthouse to a welcoming entry for the expanded Museum of Westward Expansion. The new entry to the museum faces downtown to enhance its connection to the city. The drama

• f the existing lawn is tilted to

provide a dramatic canopy for an expanded below-grade museum. A new clerestory arc of glass, a “shadow” of the Arch, brings light into the museum which includes a café, improved visitor center, and expanded exhibition space. A new window in the museum is inscribed into the grand stairs

• pening dramatic views of the Mississippi River.

CONNECT TO THE RIVER AND THE PARK NATURAL LIGHT CANOPY RIVER OVERLOOK A new window is inscribed into the grand stairs opening dramatic views of the Mississippi River from inside the museum MUSEUM PROMENADE

SLIDE 4

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

2 3 2 3 3 MEMORIAL GROUNDS EADS BRIDGE PROMENADE LACLEDE’S CULTURAL CANOPY LACLEDE’S LANDING

CUL TURAL CANOPIES

CULTURAL CANOPIES FRAME CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CITY AND PARK. A NEW LINEAR PARK ON EADS BRIDGE CONNECTS BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER

EADS BRIDGE PROMENADE A pedestrian and bike path offers panoramic views of the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch WASHINGTON AVENUE New street fronts, illuminated links through Eads Bridge, and grand stairways create a northern entry to the park and a vibrant commercial and cultural edge Elegant architectural and landscape settings frame enhanced cultural programs and bring new life to the northern edge of the park A landscaped pedestrian and bike path replaces two lanes of traffic across the Eads Bridge and offers panoramic views of the Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch, and the Memorial Grounds. Strategic openings through the existing garage transform a barrier into an inviting

• threshold. Pathways through

the Eads Bridge link Laclede’s Landing to an ascending stair with views of the Arch and access to the park. Building on the residential and commercial vibrancy of the Washington Avenue Corridor, retail spaces and a Park Ranger Station are embedded in the street-facing edge of the garage, activating the street and adding to the commercial activity at Laclede’s

• Landing. The lower levels of the garage remain available

for parking while the upper deck is transformed with the addition of an undulating glass and steel canopy

• f

photovoltaic panels that provide energy for the accompanying programs: a farmers market, dining events, children’s interpretive play area, film screenings, performances, and winter ice skating. CULTURAL CANOPY FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ACTIVATE GARAGE EDGE EXPAND CONNECTIONS CONNECT TO LACLEDE’S LANDING CULTURAL CANOPY A glass and steel canopy with photovoltaic panels provides shelter and energy for events and seasonal activities

SLIDE 5

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

4 5 5 4 FORMAL ALLÉE SUCCESSIONAL TREE REPLACEMENT 5, 10, 15 YRS. ACCESSIBLE PATH AND OPEN LAWN SAVANNAH GRASSES AND UNDERSTORY PLANTINGS BIOFILTRATION PLANTING REVITALIZED POND WITH RECONFIGURED POOL BOTTOM SUSTAINABLE OPEN LAWN URBAN BLUFFS/ LEVEE MEMORIAL DRIVE SHUTTLE BUS LOOP GATEWAY ARCH MEMORIAL GROUNDS/ POND URBAN NURSERY MARSHLAND MEANDER OXBOW PARK PEDESTRIAN / BIKE LOOP CARGILL RIVER CENTER / PRAIRIE PLAYING FIELDS

RECIPROCAL ECOLOGIES

A NEW RECIPROCITY BETWEEN PUBLIC LIFE AND REGENERATIVE ECOLOGIES RENEWS THE MEMORIAL GROUNDS AND TRANSFORMS THE EAST BANK INTO A VIBRANT NEW PARK

OXBOW LAKE The calm of the Oxbow Lake is accented by the splash of a paddle and sounds of migrating birds. A meandering boardwalk provides access to the water’s edge MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVE LOOPS RESTORED ECOLOGY AND HABITAT HYDROLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY Renewed landscapes tell a story

• f the Mississippi River and

present a new model of urban ecology On the west bank, strategic improvements enliven and complete the Kiley landscape. Accessible pathways wind down to the ponds whose subsurface design has been re- engineered to meet new sustainable standards. Selective plantings recast the landscape within a larger ecological vision preserving the clarity of the original design. An immersive educational and recreational landscape

• n the east bank weaves an ecological narrative of the

Mississippi River with a story of the dramatic Mississippian earthen mounds. Restored habitat ranges from aquatic and riverine settings, to wetland species

• f the floodplain, to upland forests and

wildflower meadows. Birds, butterflies, and other species are drawn to a mosaic

• f habitats long gone from the urban

waterfront. Visitors walk, jog, or kayak through natural areas and are surprised as a turn in the path reveals views of the Gateway Arch. Nature enthusiasts learn ethnobotanical histories of indigenous species. Birdwatchers are thrilled to spot the range of species that pass through this important intercontinental flyway. Temporal and changing artistic interventions continually provide surprise and delight. A new network of earthworks, waterways and paths extend the mission of conservation and regenerate natural

• settings. Nurseries grow a range of species for the park

and surrounding communities, catalyzing a movement towards a greener city. Emerging sources of energy include photovoltaic fields, geothermal, wind turbines, and farming of bio-fuel crops. Agricultural fields grow fresh food for local urban centers, adding health and economy to the neighboring communities. MEMORIAL GROUNDS Accessible walkways and strategic plantings link the ponds to a more layered ecology for the park, while preserving the clarity of Kiley’s original design

SLIDE 6

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

6 7 6 7 7 FERRY DECK MALCOLM W. MARTIN GATEWAY GEYSER & PERFORMANCE PLAZA PRAIRIE PLAYING FIELDS RIVER CENTER MISSISSIPPI PANORAMA AMPHITHEATER & OUTDOOR CLASSROOM CHOUTEAU’S GREENWAY & RECREATIONAL WETLANDS

CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL DESTINATIONS ARE CONNECTED BY THE MEANDERING LOOPS OF PROMENADES, TRAILS, AND BIKEWAYS

CHOUTEAU’S CROSSING The Poplar Street overpasses become a canopy for active recreation and multi-level paths weave between columns and new wetlands Educational and recreational destinations are linked by a meandering loop trail Full Circle extends the civic axis

• f St. Louis through the Gateway

Arch and across the river to the new Mississippi River Cultural and Ecological Center. This center tells the ecological and cultural histories of the Mississippi region. As the fourth largest river in the world, the Mississippi River and its vast watershed has the potential to become an important global model for understanding and managing natural systems. New earthworks recall the Cahokia Mounds, create new ecologies, and frame views

• f new wetlands. The programs
• f the center continue into the

expansive landscape where

• utdoor learning and research

environments reinforce the mission of the park. Chouteau’s Crossing is reconceived as a critical intersection

• f pedestrian and bicycle trails. The south entry to the

park is framed by an outdoor amphitheater where the activities of the renovated maintenance building become part of the visitor experience. Just south, the curving interstate highway overpasses become canopies for active recreation, including a mini- golf course, a skateboard/BMX park, bicycle rental, urban rock climbing, basketball courts, and artist studios in the existing buildings. Multi-level paths are woven between columns to create a dynamic southern gateway to the Memorial Grounds. MISSISSIPPI RIVER CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL CENTER An educational center embedded within a dynamic landform draws visitors to the east bank’s rich ecological experiences, and provides dramatic views back to the Gateway Arch

NEW LANDMARK TERRITORIES

INFRASTRUCTURAL NETWORKS ACTIVITY LOOPS REVITALIZED CHOUTEAU’S LANDING PROGRAMS AND ECOLOGY NATURAL AMPITHEATER A terraced ampitheater becomes a cultural gateway and a new southern entry to the park

SLIDE 7

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

8 9 9 8 8 MEMORIAL GROUNDS PERFORMANCE PIER FERRY & BARGE URBAN BLUFFS

A NEW RIVER’S EDGE

BRIDGING NEW TOPOGRAPHIES ACTIVATES THE RIVER’S EDGE, CELEBRATES THE POWER OF THE MISSISSIPPI, AND CREATES NEW PUBLIC ECOLOGIES

URBAN BLUFFS The bank of the Mississippi River, once bustling with commerce and trade, becomes a reactivated public space New topography creates a dynamic public experience of the powerful Mississippi River A meandering path links the east bank of the Mississippi to the Memorial Grounds along a suspended route anchored to the Poplar Street Bridge. Pedestrians and cyclists cross the river and come full circle to reconnect with the Memorial Grounds, the Mississippi River Trail, and the proposed Chouteau’s Greenway trails. The redesigned waterfront celebrates the power of the river; the Mississippi River’s historic cobbled levee is strategically reshaped to accommodate programs and events that creatively incorporate the inevitability of fluctuating water levels. This new riverfront creates rising landforms that shelter an accessible route to the water’s edge reminiscent of the break in the original limestone bluffs that led Pierre Laclede to found the city of

• St. Louis. As the river level rises, the new “bluffs” emerge

as islands linked by pedestrian bridges that slope down from the Memorial Grounds. A new riparian landscape is introduced at Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard. Ramped routes along the face of the “bluff” provide access and safe docking for river boats and barges regardless of the level of the river. The terraced, cobbled embankment provides a flexible new public space for sitting, relaxing, and viewing special events with the river as a dramatic backdrop. New docks are starting points for riverboat cruises providing views to the city and linkages to new program dispersed along the riverfront via a ferry that travels between the Memorial Grounds and the east bank. ACTIVATED WATERFRONT LOW LEVEL ACTIVATED WATERFRONT HIGH LEVEL POPLAR STREET BRIDGE Pedestrians and cyclists cross over the river along a floating route anchored to the Poplar Street Bridge FERRY LANDING An active landing for a cross-river ferry links the city back to the water and by night becomes a backdrop for special events and celebrations

SLIDE 8

WEISS/MANFREDI TEAM

I N V I G O R A T E R E V I T A L I Z E C A T A L Y Z E

A NATIONAL PARK OF THE MISSISSIPPI

F U L L C I R C L E

LEAD DESIGNER: WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism TEAM: Magnusson Klemencic Associates, SWT Design, D.I.R.T. studio, Green Shield Ecology, Mark Dion, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP, HR&A Advisors, Transpo Group, Hart Crowser, The Horinko Group, Atelier Ten, Focus St. Louis, Added Dimension, EDSI, Severud, Davis Langdon New York, Code Consultants Inc, Interface, Biohabitats, Leni Schwendinger Light Projects, Arup Security, Arcturis, Pentagram, Ricca Newmark, Development Strategies, Dr. John Kelly, Daniel J Hinkley, Dr. Robert Criss, Dr. Fred Fausz, Carve

ENHANCE THE ICONIC GATEWAY ARCH AND THE JEFFERSON NATIONAL EXPANSION MEMORIAL CONNECT THE CITY, THE PARK, AND THE RIVER WEAVE THE STORY OF NATIONAL EXPANSION WITHIN A BROADER SITE THAT EMBRACES BOTH BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI CATALYZE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC, ECOLOGICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRANSFORM THE SITE INTO A CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL CENTER FOR THE REGION, THE NATION, AND THE WORLD

LEVERAGE A TAPESTRY OF HISTORY, ART, AND ECOLOGY TO BRING INTO FOCUS THE POWER OF PLACE BUILD NEW TOPOGRAPHIES TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES, CREATE NEW ECOLOGIES, AND FRAME NEW PERSPECTIVES HARNESS THE BEAUTY AND UNPREDICTABLE POWER OF THE RIVER TRANSFORM SITE AND PROGRAM CONSTRAINTS INTO OPPORTUNITIES CREATE A RESILIENT FRAMEWORK THAT SUPPORTS LONG TERM URBAN, INFRASTRUCTURAL, AND ECOLOGICAL PROGRESS CONNECT DISPARATE SITES INTO ONE LEGIBLE PARK