Knowlton School Student Work Collection, Landscape Architecture Section at the Knowlton School Student Work
Side View Park and The Real Dirt Cafe
- Discipline
- Landscape Architecture
- Semester
- Autumn 2010
- Work Type
- Presentation
- related to
- Downs, Abigail Hanna
- Description
- Side View Park Ideas of Social justice drive the concept of Side View Park: the proposed neighborhood park on the corner of 5th street and 8th avenue in Weinland Park. The site is defined by 4 residential lots located on the East side of 5th street which are currently rooted in toxic soil contaminated by a series of arsons that took place during the summer of 2010. The fires completely demolished 3 of the houses and caused severe damage to the remaining structure located at 1345 5th Street. The single remaining charred house represents the relationship between conflict and unity, order and re-order, and the Exposed charred framework of the house demands attention to the performance of material, texture, and dimension. Solutions to the socio-economic concerns of the neighborhood are a main component of the design intention: A proposed nonprofit corner cafe, the real dirt cafe, offers a sliding scale menu to mixed income residents. Benches that run the length of the park offer outdoor seating options for eating, gathering, organizing, performing, reading and waiting. A combination of old and new material throughout the site offers surface for performance space or seating. To address the toxicity of the soil, there are designated areas for phytoremediation and the agriculture on site is protected and supported by raised beds.