Rich human and environmental heritages in constant change, and the project program, suggest the intention of man to explore other resources that the landscape offers. Recreation and leisure, observation of wildlife and flora, water cycles and agricultural activities that are taking place in this landscape, are the explicit objectives of the project. The conservation of natural and cultural values and the dynamic equilibrium of this habitat protected from disturbances that the implementation of the program could bring, is the implicit and essential goal.
The ‘Social Cities’ report recently published by the Grattan Institute shows that whilst Australian cities have paid great attention to making cities more sustainable and productive they have neglected the ‘social’ aspect of cities and the need to create places for social interaction. Single households are on the rise in Australia creating more lonely and isolated Australians, the report outlines the need for design solutions to provide more places for social connection within communities. Social connections and interaction is beneficial to overall mental well-being.
“Social connection is becoming more widely recognised as an important goal in the design of streets and the architecture of buildings….”
As the next step in a planning process begun in the mid 1970’s, the vision presented here is a proposal for the revitalization of the Northeast Riverfront District, the City of Wausau’s former industrial land along the Wisconsin River. Prior to this, the City had substantially developed its plan for the central downtown and completed its purchase of most of the long dormant Northeast Riverfront District. At the next stage, the City hired a team of graduate student architects and planners with UW-Milwaukee’s Community Design Solutions (CDS) to adopt relevant recommendations from previous plans, integrate input from the community, and apply their skills and knowledge of modern design principles to create an urban landscape vision that stimulates further public input, planning, and decision-making. City officials and City Planner Brad Lenz had decided to bring an outside student group in for this project to provide fresh eyes for the task of creatively revitalizing a landscape that for so long had symbolized Wausau’s industrial decline. Continue reading Wausau North East Riverfront Masterplan | Wausau Wisconsin | Community Design Solutions
How can cognitive neuroscience influnce the way that architects, landscape architects, planners and engineers are designing? Why are architects using tree metaphors in their designs for buildings? Sarah looks at tree metaphors and how we look at the built environment. Read More….
Walk-up windows are good urbanism | Dan Malouff | Greater Greater Washington Sidewalks(Footpaths) are interesting concrete pedestrians route that connect destinations, often we walk doorway to doorway with the odd cafe spilling out onto the space. Walk-up windows are a way to break the monotony of street life. Dan looks at Georgetown and a couple of its walk-up windows. Read More….
