Figure 85
Contrast between urban plaza and wild prairie.
Figure 86
Section through space-frame structure
city.forest plaza How do you create a city experience within a forest?
ure 86) provides a direct view to downtown, and the
tors to immerse themselves in the experience of the
The main public open space on the site is supposed
paving pattern across the plaza is based on the street
tree canopy.
to provide a contrast, emphasizing the urban forest
grid: going from a prairie patch on the north side of
The nature center and its grounds house both educa-
around it. How do you create a city experience with
the street (the project site) to a series of low climbing
tional and community amenities: outdoor classrooms,
the same plant palette? A grid of trees mark the space
mounds on the south side of the street which rep-
an edible plants garden, rooms for neighborhood
as distinctly urban and creates a more formal feeling
resent the downtown mall. The paving is made from
groups, a variety of exhibits about the flora and fauna
for the entrance to the nature center and the open-
recycled granite curbs. Although it is a small detail,
of the site, and a permanent exhibit on the history of
frame structure.
the significance of the pattern may be visible to some
Pruitt-Igoe, highlighting the experiences of its resi-
The plaza is designed to reinforce the site’s place
people, especially in the winter when the trees in the
dents.
within downtown (see Figure 84). The open-frame
plaza are bare. An elevated walkway leads off an
structure (on the south side of the street – see Fig-
upper level of the space-frame structure, allowing visidesign • 51