Award
2019 Merit Award
Category
Planning and Analysis
Landscape Architects
SmithGroup
Project Details
The South Lakefront Framework Plan envisions a future for Chicago’s Jackson Park and South Shore Cultural Center in reference to several proposed projects that would significantly impact these historic landscapes. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and host to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, the South Lakefront area carries large historical and cultural significance. SmithGroup integrated and coordinated the various planning efforts, leading to the final plan document. Using the input of the community as a foundation, SmithGroup developed a vision for the park that prioritizes relocated or new park programming, supports communities, and activates underused parts of each park. Three scenarios explore alternate solutions to 30+ variables within the parks. The solution celebrates water, repositioning existing waterways and water features into a central usable element while bolstering its role as a sustainable performance landscape. The completed plan provides a framework for the parks for the next 15 to 20 years.