Design Proposal

DESIGN PROPOSAL FOR

EAST IRONBOUND ZONE BALLANTINE - CONRAIL - TIDEWATER

LANDSCAPES

Ironbound Existing Goals & Missions: -Address unmet needs and service gaps, particularly for under-served individuals and families -Support child development and strengthen families -Develop self-esteem, self-sufficiency, and civic participation -Support economically and environmentally healthy and just development projects and policies -Deliver free and accessible multilingual and multicultural programming

KEY ISSUES BALLANTINE SITE -Closed space that is in the middle of the recreational hub area blocking connection to the riverfront -Decline of job opportunities due to the closure of this space -No occupation of this space creates an unsafe environment as it is an obstruction of view to different areas of the landscape CONRAIL SITE -Serves as a divider between the recreational hub and the ballantine site which diverts connectivity and routes, making it harder to access the tidewater and recreational hub -Lacks walkable access -No landscape maintenance

TIDEWATER SITE -Dumping sites that induce pollution affecting the populations health -Unactivated space that is adjacent to the recreation center “inappropriate” usage of space -Does not serve any habitat

DESIGN KEY PRINCIPLES

Flexible Spaces: Open spaces that can be used for different types of programming, in this case focused upon commerce as well as cultural events

Ecology: Use of native plants to the city of Newark that is inviting to people and animals, rehabilitating the ecosystem

Connectivity: Physical and nonphysical networks bringing easy transportation passages to connect people with the city

Recreational Hub: Welcoming space for open dialect and extracurricular activities for people of all ages

Stormwater Management: Mitigating and remediating the water flow of stormwater runoff as Newark is highly prone to flooding

LANDSCAPES

Design Proposal

The Ironbound Community Corporation strives for community justice and equitable opportunities to constantly give back to the people living in Newark. These community goals will be met through safe spaces that give a welcoming feel, supplementing economic development to the East Ironbound community. Safety concerns are brought up to the surface of different scales, from walkable spaces to poor stormwater drainage. Through site analyses, many opportunities are found for economic and ecological developments. The adjacent sites of Ballantine, Conrail, and Tidewater will serve as the community center hub

for ecology and economic restoration creating a gateway that networks people to the riverfront. A setup of various entry points to the sites will welcome pedestrian traffic from all directions, giving easier and safer access to and from the sites to the riverfront. Visual wayfinding techniques will help guide people to their destination by giving memory cues and opportunity for prospect. These cues trigger engagement of the five senses connecting people to the landscape through water features and planting that attracts local fauna.

Nearby flood zones mitigated through the Conrail system to Down Bottom Farms by planting remediation techniques and

water flow control. The Conrail site will be transformed into a bioswale that is walkable, serving water mitigation efforts.

This water will then be used for the farm and other water elements on the nearby sites. Redesign of the Ballantine site will open job opportunities and affordable housing, activating the open spaces for community connectivity to the adjacent site of Conrail and Tidewater.

Tidewater site development for an outdoor recreational hub that serves as a flexible space for cultural events and student educational opportunities. As these three sites are being developed for community connection, the design of these sites will

consist of open spaces that expose the linkage of the sites to the riverfront leading to easy wayfinding. Implementation of bike lanes, lighting, improvement of sidewalks and roads will be the connection for people to access the riverfront. The biggest influence for the design aspects of the sites and roads will be the flow that is represented by the Passaic River making sure there is a circular connection of physical manifestations supplementing each other, symbolizing the importance of connectivity on the site and community level.

Ballantine Goals: -Affordable housing development -More Jobs for the community -Educational opportunities for public and private Principles: -Develop multi level apartment housing with multi use functions within the spaces of the buildings -Coffee shops and/or small restaurants on the bottom level of the Ballantine site can be used to provide jobs for the residents -Educational opportunities through a library development on the site Conrail Goals: -Water retention as well as remediation to send back to the farm usage Principles: -Direct flood zones to the conrail system to follow the “track” of the railroad system -Make it walkable and accessible for habitat and human occupation while serving as an infiltration site -Educational exposure to the different species that will be attracted to as well as implemented into the site.

Tidewater Goals: -Flexible Spacing serving as a recreational hub Principles: -InterConnectivity with the farm,the conrail, and ballantine -Space for farmers markets and cultural community events -Public seating / kids playground

PERSPECTIVE SKETCH DIAGRAMS