City of Chicago

1871 Great Chicago Fire

-Prohibited constructing wooden buildings

as fire proof regulations

1874 Second Chicago Fire

- Due to temperature above 90 degrees

Fahrenheit, for the second time Chicago
was burned.
1909 Chicago Plan
Daniel Burnham American Urban
Planner,
-planned City Chicago with the principle
of City Beautiful Movement.

City Beautiful Movement- reform

philosophy of North American
architecture and urban planning with
the intent of introducing
beautification and monumental grandeu
r in cities
-Transportation hubs emerged

-It wasnt built for various reasons, but the new riverfront parks and paths live up to
his vision for a civic circulation path that connects different areas and creates an
entirely new way to get around the city

- the river first became an engineered channel to support the industrial

transformation of the city
The Chicago River has been highly affected
by industrial and residential development
with attendant changes to the quality of the
water and riverbanks. Several species of
freshwater fish are known to inhabit the
river, including largemouth and smallmouth
bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish,
and carp.

The Chicago Riverfront, owing to its history

as an industrial shipping corridor, has long
been derided as a polluted backwater.
Reversing of river flow
-The citys main supply of water has always
been Lake Michigan. However, in the second
half of the 19th century, as the city began to
boom with industrialization, the river was
frequently mistreated and polluted with waste
and sewage, all of which would then drain into
the lake. The drinking water for the city soon
became polluted, leading to serious outbreaks
of typhoid and other waterborne diseases for
residents

-Canal took eight years to complete, as nearly

40 million cubic yards of earth and rock were
removed all along the 28-mile (45-kilometer)
stretch.
Proponent
The Chicago Department of Transportation and
Ross Barney Architects led the successful
completion of Phase One of the Riverwalk, an
initial segment that includes Veterans Memorial
Plaza and the Bridgehouse Museum Plaza.

Throughout the studios history, a focus on

transportation infrastructure has evolved, allowing
them to look for sustainable solutions at an urban
scale. The Morgan Street Station for the Chicago
Transit Authority (CTA) is the first new inter system
station constructed in more than thirty years. This
acute understanding has led to designs for
the Cermak McCormick Place CTA station and the
multi-phase expansion of the Chicago Riverwalk

Carol Ross Barney

Involved Organizations
 VISION, PRINCIPLES &
PLANNING CONCEPTS
VISION &
PRINCIPLES
The vision for the Main Branch of the Chicago Riverwalk is to establish a unique pedestrian waterfront environment

along the south bank of the Chicago River. The Riverwalk will be universally accessible to all visitors and contain a

variety of spaces that accommodate both passive and active recreation.

The Four Riverwalk Districts
(planning concepts)

The Chicago Main Branch Riverwalk is comprised of four distinct areas that each have their own character and function.
These areas can be programmed, branded and marketed as distinct districts in order to attract patronage to support the
commercial functions therein.
The Confluence District
This plan illustrates the potential to
expand the riverwalk and establish a
new signature element to anchor this
important location. This plan expands
the sidewalk along upper Wacker
Drive to provide more landscape and
new pedestrian seating with views to
the river, the establishment of a new
accessible ramp between Upper
Wacker Drive and the riverwalk, and
the establishment of a new riverfront
landscape and seating feature with
fantastic views of the river
The Arcade District

The diagrams to the left illustrate the

potential to address universal accessibly,
pedestrian comfort and commercial
operational service needs through the
construction of a new feature centrally
located within the Arcade District. A new
pedestrian ramp with storage and bathrooms
beneath it could be constructed between
LaSalle and Clark Streets.
The Civic District

This plan illustrates the proposed improvements for the Civic District. These include underbridge
connections, vertical access improvements and expanded landscape. The Civic District offers unique
opportunities for temporary installations of art and signage to promote Riverwalk and City events. This
can be accomplished by installing banner panels in the large openings along the facing wall of Wacker
Drive. These panels could be softly illuminated at night to create visual interest in the area.
The Market District
Pedestrian access improvements are proposed
to provide universal access and support the
establishment of a riverwalk anchor
destination. These improvements include a
new elevator and enclosed pedestrian walkway
at the terminus of Upper Wacker Drive. These
improvements would establish an excellent
drop-off/pick-up location and serve as visual
focal points to announce the riverwalk and
proposed market located below.

A new pedestrian bridge is proposed to link the

north and south sides of the river at North Field
Boulevard and McClurg Court, just east of the
fountain in Streeterville. This connection
would improve pedestrian mobility in this area
of downtown.
 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Rivers High Level Pollution

Recreation

Development of the Chicago itself

 Situational Analysis
Recent changes in demographics have transformed the main branch of the
Chicago River into a significant recreation and tourist destination.

The Riverwalk reconciles the vibrant, naturalistic landscapes of the lakefront

trails and parks with the more formal context of Wackers Drives Beaux Arts
architecture.

By passing under the bridges of the main branch, the Riverwalk offers
pedestrians a continuous experience of the Chicagos riverfront and
architecture from a unique vantage point along the south edge of the river.
 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To develop the Riverwalk a s premier public space and

continuous system
A design with blend of sustainable landscaping, long-
lasting materials, and civic forms such as terraces and
wide paved areas
Provide a place with a rich activity and as an expression
of Chicagos progressive growth
 SYNTHESIS
the river has now become an engineered channel to support the industrial
transformation of the city, making this riverwalk an instrumental design in the
city.

A new 1.5-mile stretch of revitalized and redesigned riverfront, under

construction since 2009, wraps around the citys downtown Loop, running
from Lakeshore Drive to Lake Street and turning the banks of the Chicago
River into a civic gathering space, park, and transportation corridor.
EVALUATION
 EVALUATION
This is the summary of a four-month process to review previous studies,
establish structural system potentials, conduct a holistic site analysis,
launch a comprehensive River Traffic Study and provide an overall
Vision, developed to the 10% Design level, for the remaining segments
of this system.
 IMPLEMENTATION
They needed to work within a tight permit-mandated 25-foot-wide
build-out area to expand the pedestrian program spaces and negotiate a
series of under-bridge connections between blocks. Further, the design
had to account for the river's annual flood dynamics of nearly seven
vertical feet.
 IMPLEMENTATION
The Marina Plaza: Restaurants and outdoor seating provide views of vibrant life on the water,
including passing barges, patrols, water taxis, and sightseeing boats.
The Cove: Kayak rentals and docking for human-powered crafts provide physical connections to the
water through recreation.
The River Theater: A sculptural staircase linking Upper Wacker and the Riverwalk offers pedestrian
connectivity to the water's edge and seating, while trees provide greenery and shade.
The Water Plaza: A water feature offers an opportunity for children and families to engage with
water at the river's edge.
The Jetty: A series of piers and floating wetland gardens offer an interactive learning environment
about the ecology of the river, including opportunities for fishing and identifying native plants.
The Riverbank: An accessible walkway and new marine edge create continuous access to Lake Street
and sets the scene for future development in this critical space at the confluence.
IMPLEMENTATION
 IMPLEMENTATION

THE JETTY- A rendering of the Jetty, and the underwater

infrastructure that will help attract and nourish plant and animal
life near the Riverwalk