JIE XU

ISOLATION EMBRACED

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The Goose Island in Chicago is historically isolated by the Chicago River, the highway, the railway and PMD. The isolated industrial became the identity of this island while simultaneously keep the authentic landscape (the basin, the canal and the Chicago River) that different with the surrounding urban context. On the other hand, the historical bridges across the river and canal offer great opportunity for reconnecting the island and increasing the public realm for the citizens. 
  We have a hypothesis that isolating the industrial zone will be efficient for its high-tech transition and guarantee the public safety, and bridges from the historic rail to the current pedestrian ones, separates the pedestrians from the heavy traffic, providing safe and quite connection methods, integrate the island back into the urban fabric. Also, the bridges become anchors of the landscape system along the edge of the Chicago canal. 
  This study is not a master plan, nor is it a set of fixed development recommendations. The strategy can be achieved with two scenarios. The low investment scenario will meet the basic requirement of the public realm. The high investment scenario will also encourage commercial and residential developments to increase the quality of public space. 

Siying Xu, Jie Xu

Narrative:

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The Goose Island is about 230 Acres, sits in the northern part of Chicago. This island was shaped by the North Branch Canal and the Chicago River in 1857. It was functioned as an industrial district historically. Since the new UI Lab comes to help the industrial transition, there will be great potential for bringing back the island to the city grid and have more communication with the urban context.

  From the mapping, it is not hard to discover that this island is isolated by the Chicago River (1852), the North Branch Canal (1857), the rail line (1900), the elevated highway (1955) and the Planned Manufacturing District (PMD) (1988). The isolated industrial becomes the identity of this island, while simultaneously keeping the authentic landscape of the turning basin, the North Branch Canal, and the Chicago River. The Chicago River and the North Branch Canal also offers river habitats for the plants and animals living in the urban area especially meaningful for the migration birds.

  On the other hand, Bridges have a core relationship with the Chicago River that partly represent the identity of the city. It also established important connections between the island and the surrounding urban fabric. There are Cherry Avenue Bridge - Chicago’s Landmark, North Branch Canal Bridge, Charles Levy Bridge, and North Branch Bridge. The historical bridges across the river and canal offer great opportunity for reconnecting the island and increasing the public realm for the citizens. 

  We have a hypothesis that isolating the industrial zone will be efficient for its high-tech transition and guarantee the public safety, and bridges from the historic rail to the current pedestrian ones, separates the pedestrians from the heavy traffic, providing safe and quite connection methods, will integrate the island back into the urban fabric. Also, the bridges become anchors of the landscape system along the edge of the Chicago canal.

  The strategy is firstly opening the edge of the island as public realm to share the authentic landscape in Chicago. Then offering a spine tracing the historical rail track for the workers in the industrial zone to access efficiently. This strategy endeavors to catalyze a larger vision about the future of an area that represents one of the most important urbanistic opportunities in Chicago with its own identity. It achieves job creation, mobility, connectivity, neighborhood integration, public realm enhancement, and habitat creation. It will achieve win-win for both the industrial and the public as increasing the landscape at the edge.

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  The North Avenue Turning basin

  The existing Cherry Avenue Bridge offers connection from the north edge of the island to the north avenue. It has a broad view of the North Avenue Turning basin with wetland habitat. The water taxi stand provides water activities for the citizens along the Chicago River such as ceiling and kayak. The deck and elevated waterfront walk consist the seats and pedestrians for the visitors.
  
  The North Branch Canal

  A new bridge sits in front of the UI Lab, which is an innovation accelerator addressing manufacturing and smart’s intersection of digital convergence. It connects the spine and edge across the canal to the retail district such as whole food. The edge along the canal is graded for in order to provide habitats for native species. Also the path along the edge is for the public uses such as picnic space. Also, where the main streets intersect outside the island, the new O-bridge enhances the connection to the city fabric with enclosed gathering space. The pedestrians and bike lanes are separated from the heavy traffic across the island. Water falling from the bridge blocks the noise of the street and forms the background for the amphitheater. As new development infill the existing parking lot and vacant land, the waterfront of the canal will be able to be activated to increase the vitality of the city. 

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  Skyline of the City

  The south edge of the island has a point to have the skyline of the city. North Branch Bridge connects to the new commercial development along the river’s two sides. The goose pavilion provides shades on the lawn and used as gathering space for the locals. A transition bridge is proposed to solve the problem of height difference between the street-level to the platform above the water, connecting the main street and the waterfront promenade.

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  Industrial Edge

  The industrial bridge will connect the past concrete industrial and the present high-tech industrial that with the soft edge. The woodland will provide buffer for the industrial and have an impact on the pollution control.           

  Furthermore, this study is not a master plan, nor is it a set of fixed development recommendations. The strategy can be achieved with two scenarios and achieved phase by phase. The low investment scenario will meet the basic requirement of the public realm, offering green space such as lawns and shades. The public realm will be mainly invested the government such as bonds. The existing buildings still remain and wait for industrial transition. The high investment scenario will attract mainly the private investors, and encourage commercial and residential developments to increase the quality of public space. The qualified landscape will also have a positive effect increasing the value of the land that contributes to vitalize the surrounding district.