by Brianna Crandall — May 29, 2013—New York-based international landscape architecture and urban design firm James Corner Field Operations, head of a team that was chosen to redevelop Chicago’s Navy Pier, has revealed its latest designs for the landmark waterfront site, which celebrate its 100th birthday in 2016. The historic Pier is currently a recreational spot drawing more than eight million visitors a year, reportedly making it the top tourist destination in the state of Illinois.
The $85 million redesign calls for reactivating the landmark by updating the Pier’s public spaces at the east and west ends, the main South Dock promenade, Pier Park, Crystal Gardens, and various spaces along the pier’s 3,000 linear feet. As the architects on the team, New York-based nARCHITECTS collaborated on the overall design, focusing on elements that enhance Chicagoans’ connection to Lake Michigan while protecting them from its extreme climate.
Although some features had to be scaled down to meet budget constraints, the team still “dreamed big,” designing “a bolder, greener, more contemporary Pier that will transform the Midwest’s most popular attraction in a spectacular world-class destination,” according to James Corner. The project is approved to receive $55 million in public funding.
The revamped Navy Pier plans to incorporate green practices into its daily operations, and to promote a green agenda through not only its redesign, but through its programming as well. The planning team notes that the Pier could have a major positive environmental impact because of its scale and its position on the Great Lakes.
The Navy Pier Vision site has more details about the upcoming project and its sustainable facilities. Photos of the project are available on the nArchitect site.
