Pruitt Igoe Now
Reconstructing the Void
MEREDITH BEARD
3/13/2012
Reconstructing the Void: A Flexible Infrastructural Planning Approach
After thorough ANALYSIS of the Pruitt-Igoe site and its surrounding context, it became apparent that the site itself is regenerating beautifully. As seen from aerials above and data collected from within, a variety of tree species are flourishing and creating habitats for biodiversity. When examining its context, however, the site is both physically and socially isolated from the rest of the community. For this reason, it is necessary to commit to a design that incorporates both the Pruitt-Igoe site, as well as, a design for how it can be integrated within the context of the community.
As a student of both landscape architecture and urban design, this site was always presented as a modern housing failure. Now in 2012, I believe that the Pruitt-Igoe site has the potential to become one of the most interesting case studies for the nation to learn from and for city to celebrate. With this PROPOSAL, I have integrated several design solutions that are flexible in character to be incorporated with future community needs. The proposal is divided into 3 parts:
1. CORE – Connecting the Pruitt-Igoe site to the urban fabric of downtown St. Louis by creating a strong cohesive corridor, focused around pedestrian and bicycle movement, that is defined by a mixture of building edges and greenspaces.
2.INFILL – Minimizing the number of vacant lots and dilapidated buildings within the surrounding context of the site by scattering small temporary, flexible and mobile land improvements that help to generate larger ones for positive future community development.
3.EDGES – Encouraging development within a peripheral edge by placing a ring of overlapping programmed openspace located at the lowest elevations within the city to increase groundwater infiltration, as well as promote local food production.
Reconstructing the Void
MEREDITH BEARD
3/13/2012
Reconstructing the Void: A Flexible Infrastructural Planning Approach
After thorough ANALYSIS of the Pruitt-Igoe site and its surrounding context, it became apparent that the site itself is regenerating beautifully. As seen from aerials above and data collected from within, a variety of tree species are flourishing and creating habitats for biodiversity. When examining its context, however, the site is both physically and socially isolated from the rest of the community. For this reason, it is necessary to commit to a design that incorporates both the Pruitt-Igoe site, as well as, a design for how it can be integrated within the context of the community.
As a student of both landscape architecture and urban design, this site was always presented as a modern housing failure. Now in 2012, I believe that the Pruitt-Igoe site has the potential to become one of the most interesting case studies for the nation to learn from and for city to celebrate. With this PROPOSAL, I have integrated several design solutions that are flexible in character to be incorporated with future community needs. The proposal is divided into 3 parts:
1. CORE – Connecting the Pruitt-Igoe site to the urban fabric of downtown St. Louis by creating a strong cohesive corridor, focused around pedestrian and bicycle movement, that is defined by a mixture of building edges and greenspaces.
2.INFILL – Minimizing the number of vacant lots and dilapidated buildings within the surrounding context of the site by scattering small temporary, flexible and mobile land improvements that help to generate larger ones for positive future community development.
3.EDGES – Encouraging development within a peripheral edge by placing a ring of overlapping programmed openspace located at the lowest elevations within the city to increase groundwater infiltration, as well as promote local food production.