DESIGN CONCEPT

Rationale and Conclusion

Using the Brent Spence Bridge as the site, I focused on catalysts of obsolescence and rewilding. My design adapts the bridge into a pedestrian and nature focused space that allows urban residents to inhabit and experience the structure in a surreal way. By connecting the Cincinnati streetcar and pedestrian pathways throughout the bridge, the space can be activated at all hours of the day and provide easy access to locations within. Programmatically, the space follows a progression. As occupants move through the bridge from North to South, natural installations begin to shift from heavily manicured with a high level of human influence to practically untouched, allowing native plants to freely grow and occupy the structures.

The upper level, formerly I-75 South, is entirely filled by three sections of greenspace. The first is a terraced pathway that serves to facilitate publicness and draw people into the space. Terraces have various species of Ohio trees intermixed with shrubs and florals growing along the stepped path. These steps allow occupants to lounge amongst nature in a heavily urban area while taking in views of downtown Cincinnati or the Ohio River beyond. As one is drawn southward, a tropical conservatory is set in the center of the site, encased between the two towers of the bridge.

Within the conservatory’s garden is the northbound streetcar stop. Whether someone has traversed the meandering paths or just stepped off the train, they can access a stair or elevator down to the lower level as well as restrooms located inside two tourist centers. The tourist centers are adjacent to the station and surrounded by tropical foliage. Each one is designated to the state it is nearest to, one for Ohio and one for Kentucky. Inside, there is an information desk similar to one that can be found at a national park visitor center, a seating area, literature on the Brent Spence Bridge and state history, and large panoramic windows offering views to the botanical garden.

Finally, as one exits the conservatory to the southernmost section, a path extends through trellises allowing plants to grow freely without human intervention. Shrubs and small trees begin to take back the bridge while vines reach for the trusses overhead, creating a surreal experience of walking through uninhibited growth. This space is a stark contrast to the urban surroundings, providing a home for small animals, birds, and insects in what formerly was dangerous and uninhabitable.

The lower level, formerly I-75 North, is more human centric while still providing opportunities for natural growth. The streetcar runs south on this level, stopping in the center just below the conservatory. Occupants will find a restaurant and bar with views of downtown Cincinnati. Adjacent to the restaurant is a coworking office space that includes administrative offices and leasing offices for the housing units. Housing units are prefabricated and stacked to provide a single bedroom space with views to the river and both Cincinnati and Covington. To address a lack of light within the lower level of the bridge, LED panels mimicking bright natural light are installed as “skylights” in most rooms. In addition to housing, two hydroponic farms are located on the northern and southernmost ends of the lower level, providing fresh produce to the restaurant and housing residents.

Biophilia, publicness, interior urbanism, and adaptive reuse informed the study of how obsolete infrastructure can be given back to nature and the community. Through the concept of rewilding, the Brent Spence Bridge transforms into a pedestrian focused space that blurs the line between structure and landscape. Terraced gardens, hydroponic farms, a tropical conservatory, and space for plants to grow uninhibited immerses occupants into nature. Increasingly untouched natural installations at both a human and utopian scale intermix with housing and community space, reflecting the resilience of a landscape to reclaim urban spaces and the innate human need to coexist with nature.