The city?s new waterfront gem shows how urban public spaces are evolving Chicago?s Lakefront Trail is arguably one of its finest civic asset, a cherished 18.5-mile linear park that showcases the beauty of Lake Michigan. Grant Park, which sits adjacent to the Lake at the center of the trail network, is often called Chicago?s front yard. This weekend, with the opening of the final stages of the city?s ambitious new Riverwalk, Chicago gains a new signature public space, part of a growing effort to transform the city?s river system, and redevelop its so-called backyard.
A new 1.5-mile stretch of revitalized and redesigned riverfront, under construction since 2009, wraps around the city?s 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. The joint project by Ross Barney Architects and Sasaki Associates also showcases how this new series of walkways, staircases, and event spaces represents the cutting-edge of landscape architecture, and the many ways that urban parks are evolving and changing. Gina Ford, design principal at Sasaki, says this project represents a championing of versatile infrastructure: it not only offers recreation, but added ecological benefits, and helps with stormwater runoff, all while maintaining the river in a way that allows barge traffic. It?s part of a larger trend towards turning urban waterways into multifunctional spaces. Recent ...