The City Wasteland

The City Wasteland

By:Chris Pacanowski

         As people are stepping away from the idea of urban sprawl, cities are beginning to become the place to live and work. City centers are becoming an area of entertainment and cultural experience. With the development of easy accessibility of daily living and working needs, as well as growing entertainment options, cities are exploding with new residents and visitors. The city of Chicago is no different. As young professionals complete their schooling and become immersed in work, the convenience and excitement of living downtown becomes more appealing. This newfound attraction of young professionals is causing a great need for an increased amount of housing and recreation.

When looking at Chicago and the great opportunities it brings to young professionals, this thesis proposes a location near the South side of Chicago that is currently undeveloped and a waste of space. Developing this area will bring more residential and commercial expansion into Chicago. This site is currently being occupied by train lines. Only two train lines go through this large site; the rest of it is abandoned and left to grow vegetation. The site is only a few minutes from the downtown area, is just west of Soldier Field, and is right on the Chicago River. This location brings a great amount of opportunity for improvements. This thesis approaches this project as an urban design problem, extending the current urban fabric that is in the area into the site. This thesis design will develop an area which is currently not being utilized and create a development that encompasses everything that is necessary for everyday life. This thesis will also create a direct connection with the current downtown area and the need for a more complete design of the city of Chicago.