Chicago's New Nature

Chicago’s New Nature Master of City Design

CD512-Great Cities Studio

Spring 2023

Agenda Context and Introduction Ecotone Analysis Vision Placetype Zones Goals Regional Plans Toolkit Conclusion

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Studio Process

Introduction

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Rights of Nature

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Rights of Nature

Global Precedents

Chicago’s Legacy

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Chicago’s Legacy

Land Acknowledgement

Image courtesy : Library of Congress

Chicago’s Legacy

Waterways

Image courtesy : Chicago History Museum

Image courtesy : Chicago History Museum

Image courtesy : Chicago History Museum

Image courtesy : University of Illinois

Chicago’s Legacy

Ecological Legacy: Chicago in early 1800s

Prairie Forest River Wet Prairie and Swamps Farmlands with settlements

Data Source: CMAP

Chicago’s Legacy

Industrial Legacy

Image Courtesy: Chicago Plan Commission Annual Report, 1952

Data Source: Newberry Library

Chicago’s Legacy

Evolution of Chicago

Chicago Now

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Chicago Now

Urban sprawl 1800’s Chicago

2018 Chicago Prairie

Public Open Green Spaces

Forest

Waterways

River Wet Prairie and Swamps

Built Spaces Road Network

Farmlands with settlements

Data Source: CMAP

Data Source: CMAP

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Image courtsey : MWRD

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Geomorphology 374m 350m 300m 250m 200m 150m 128m Elevation

Data Source: US Elevation Data

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Ecological Overlaps Green network Mammal richness Blue network Wetlands

Data Source: Wildlife Institute of Chicago, CMAP

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Economic Demographics

Median Household Income lower than Chicago average 0 - 22% housing vacancy More than 22% housing vancancy Invest Southwest neighborhoods

Data Source: US Census Beureau

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Utility Infrastructure

Lake Michigan

Stormwater facilities Landfills- closed Wastewater Treatment Communications Rail Roads Electricity Highways

Airfields Other

Data Source: CMAP

Urban Ecotone Analysis

Biodiversity Woodland/forest An area of dense tree, shrub and understory growth.

Prairie A flat open area with dense growth of grasses and soft stemmed, broad leafed plant communities with minimal tree growth.

Riparian Land adjacent to rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies.

Aquatic Water habitats such as rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, swamps, wetlands, bogs and lagoons.

Urban Ecotope Analysis

Key Takeaways The Great Lakes region has a history of natural abundance that has been disrupted by humanoriented development.

Despite decreasing dominance of industrial economies, industrial areas still serve as rigid barriers dividing natural systems and communities.

Antiquated single-use zoning imposes inflexibility on the built environment and further divides natural systems and communities.

The engineering of natural systems to meet growing urbanization has led to environmental degradation.

Our region faces climate vulnerabilities - such as flooding, heat islanding, and pollution - but lacks a sense of urgency for climate adaptability.

Interactions between site conditions create unique placetypes, providing opportunities to repurpose and reshape our region’s terrain.

Vision Fragmented natural systems need to be restitched to restore the Chicago region’s legacy of rich natural systems, promote coexistence between humans and nature, and catalyze Chicago’s New Nature - an ecology that responds to historical degradation and is innovatively positioned for urban use and resilient climate adaptation - through design, planning, and governance.

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Placetype Zones

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Placetype Zones

The Zones

Grid Disruptors

Eco-Remnants

Dynamo-scapes

Engineered Landscapes

Natural Spine

Shifting Greys

Natural and built systems that disrupts the city grid.

Where natural systems have been engineered for changed functionality.

Natural areas that are cut off from their ecological point of origin but retain similar characteristics.

Protected ecological hotspots that should be retained to connect to other natural areas and integrate into the built environment.

Built and natural systems in proximity to each other which influence one another and trigger a ripple effect.

Utility and industrial corridors shaping nearby land uses.

Placetype Zones Grid Disruptors Natural and built systems that disrupt the city grid.

Placetype Zones Eco-remnants Natural areas that are cut off from their ecological point of origin but retain similar characteristics.

Placetype Zones Dynamo-scapes Built and natural systems in proximity to each other which influence one another and trigger a ripple effect.

Placetype Zones Engineered landscapes Where natural systems have been engineered resulting in changed functionality.

Placetype Zones Natural Spine Protected ecological hotspots that should be retained to connect to other natural areas and integrate into the built environment.

Placetype Zones Shifting Greys Utility and industrial corridors shaping nearby land uses.

Placetype Zones

Identifying Hotspots

Grid Disruptors

Shifting Greys

Dynamoscapes

Engineered Landscapes

Eco-Remnants

Natural Spine

Placetype Zones

Relationship to Goals Connect Connect islanded communities to nature and fragmented natural systems to each other.

Adapt Connect

Adapt

Restore

Phasing Short Medium Long

Adapt the built environment to be multi-purpose, meeting the needs of people, wildlife, and natural systems.

Restore Restore natural edges and remove physical barriers to improve and conserve natural functions.

Policy Overrides Policy

Short Term

Long Term

Enact Climate Setbacks

Add public access easements.

Public buyout of land along Restored natural systems, waterways as industries phase out. flourishing independent ecosystems, increased Land is placed in a land bank for community access to the river, community ownership. deepened understanding and appreciation of nature.

Repurpose Underutilized Land

Create accessible pathways for community control over redevelopment with a focus on environmental programming.

Implement anti-gentrification measures through property tax, demolition freezes, and community land trusts.

Increased open space, improved stormwater management.

Regional green roof network

Develop green roofs on civic buildings.

Offer tax incentives to existing industrial and private businesses who develop green roofs.

Reduced heat island effect, improved air quality, and enhanced biodiversity.

Include an ecologist to review and consult on the construction.

Outcomes

Require new developments to add a green roof feature.

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

Regional Prototype Tools

Regional Scale

Green Roof Masterplan

Reimagined Infrastructure

Waterway Adjacencies

Opportunity areas for green roof development and financial and tax incentive recommendations.

Re-imagined infrastrucure connections along abandoned and exisitng railway corridors and utility lines.

Opportunities and challenges along the river corridor. Proposed landscapes and design recommendations.

Regional Prototype Tools

Green Roof Masterplan Proposed

Industrial

Civic

14,000 + acres

of roof reimagined as green roofs.

50+ miles

of connected green roofs forming an aerial green network.

Regional Prototype Tools

Green Roof Masterplan Proposed

Urban Farming

Recreational

Sponge

Bio-diversity

Regional Prototype Tools tools

Green Roof Masterplan Exisiting Landscapes

Regional Prototype Tools tools

Green Roof Masterplan Proposed Landscapes

Regional Prototype Tools

Green Roof Masterplan Proposed

Regional Prototype Tools tools

Waterway adjacencies: Re-imagined Infrastructure

Within 1/4 Mile of Rail Lines 6263 Acres Vacant Land

ProposedConditions Existing plan

12,312 Acres Industrial Land

19,171 Acres Prone to Water Pooling

4744 Acres Railroad Right of Way

Existing Trail Connections Existing Powerline ROW Trail Railroad Powerline ROW

Powerline Right Of Ways As Spaces Of Natural Abundance

Railway Corridors Have Room For Reimaginatation

Override: Chao Phray Sky Park Bangkok

Regional Prototype Tools

Re-imagined Infrastructure Proposed Plan

Regional Prototype Tools

Re-imagined Infrastructure Proposed Strategies

Pedestrian bridge

Depaving

Wildlife crossing Greening the grid

along a y a w Rail strial are indu

ng ay alo area w l i a R ntial reside

ng ay alo area w l i a rR ted ive forses r sedkrea a a e l r c inc etba ustria s nd i

Prototype toolkit

Infrastructure

Regional Prototype Tools

Waterway Adjacencies Existing Conditions

Regional Prototype Tools

Waterway Adjacencies

Regional Prototype Tools

Waterway Adjacencies Proposed Plan

flooding

Regional Prototype Tools

Waterway Adjacencies

Improved last-mile connectivity

Proposed Strategies

Remediating underutilized lands

Increased public river access

Creating inviting destinations + recreation spots

Continuous public realm

Enhancing ecological connectivity

Regional Prototype Tools

Waterway Adjacencies

Continuous trail connection along the river corridor

Proposed Strategies

Powerline right-ofways repurposed as trail connections

Ecological restoration + conservation

Economic development: blue-green industries + mixed-use development

Increased crossings for pedestrians + bikes

Climate mitigation zones

Prototype Toolkit

Contextual Tools

Image courtesy : Terry Evans

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Prototype Toolkit

Adapt

Prototype Toolkit

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Chicago’s New Nature

Rewilding Nature

Building Green Industries

Improving Waterways Restoring Wetlands

Connecting Trails Increasing Community Access

Rewilding Nature

Building Green Industries

Improving Waterways Restoring Wetlands

Connecting Trails Increasing Community Access

1.28 million

people living in the ‘C’ impacted by Chicago’s New Nature

14,000+ acres

of new green space across the Green Roof Network

12,500+ acres of remediated and rewilded land

2,000 miles

of newly connected ecological corridors

Thank You

Team members

Studio instructors

Abdullah Chaudhry

Neha Thunga

Sevin Yildiz

Aayush Patel

Janhavi Manjrekar

Phil Enquist

Alek Jaunzemis

Wen Po Hsu

Dinesh Prasad

Punya Vats

Grace Hebert

Ravi Thakker

Mikaela Uddfolk

Sara Zandi

Molly Delaney

Shashwat Arya