An exciting exhibit opening today in St. Louis, Missouri will display the five finalist teams of The City+The Arch+The River 2015 International Design Competition (check out some previous information about the competition on AD). The competition asked participants to better “frame” the iconic Arch and weave the national park back into the fabric of the city and the region, by rejuvenating connections and re-energizing the area. The construction finish line is set for October 28, 2015 which marks the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Arch.
Check out a brief overview of each project after the break.
The Behnisch Architekten’s team proposal (led by Stefan Behnisch and Christof Jantzen in collaboration with Gehl Architects, and Stephen Stimson Associates)invigorates the iconic Gateway Arch’s surrounding National Park into a fully activate public realm.
“Our work is strongly influenced by rigorous analysis and community engagement. In creating landscapes that express cultural values and an environmental ethic, great specificity is required to inform the vision and ideas that will transpire,” explained the architects.
For MVVA’s proposal, the team proposed a network of finer-grained interventions incorporating natural science, engineering, and design into a holistic philosophy of ecological urbanism.
“Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates is a leading practitioner of this new ecological-urban paradigm, and the MVVA team structure is based on our experience synthesizing the efforts of many disciplines to achieve positive reciprocity between the constructed and living environments,” added the team.
The proposal by PWP Landscape Architecture, Foster + Partners, and Civitas attempts to integrate architecture, landscape, and urban design into a system that will respect the Eero Saarinen- and Dan Kiley-designed Arch and grounds. “We will approach the competition as a research project, investigating the many natural and cultural layers of the site as an artifact, as a place, and as a memorial. Each of us brings a unique perspective to this investigation, but we share a commitment to derive a sophisticated design solution from a thorough understanding of the site, a solution that will respect history while expanding possibilities for the future,” added the team.
SOM, Hargreaves, and BIG’s proposal strives to respect the existing conditions of the grounds and examine how to increase the flow of public life, and envision active uses on the East St. Louis side within the Memorial Addition. By creating a more accessible riverfront, the proposal intends to connect the fragmented neighborhoods into a stronger whole.
The last proposal by the Weiss/Manfredi Team will connect cities as well as bridge communities, extend economies, recover ecologies, and intertwine divergent histories for a sustainable future. “From a context of social, cultural, ecological, and infrastructural complexity, an innovative and elegant design will emerge. We believe this competition represents a compelling opportunity to frame a transformative sequence of experiences that engage the complex histories and identities that define our communities, cities, and nation,” added the team.
The exhibit will be on view from August 17 through September 24. Additionally, there will be a traveling exhibit in various locations of the city (click here for details). All events are free and open to the public.
