Minneapolis, MN

Waterworks Park Phase II is continuation of the built, Waterworks Park Phase I. This park is located on the Mississippi River at the terminus of the Stone Arch Bridge. This park is currently a huge destination site that seems to have been forgotten about in terms of maintenance and design. The goal of Phase II is to connect Phase I and Father Hennepin Park, which is across the bridge, in a way that is desirable and usable. 

The existing pathways conflict with each other and persuade users to create desired paths instead of using predetermined paths. The proposed plan reworks the paths and programming in the site in a more clear and direct way.

The connection to the river was paramount in this design. We wanted to  create multiple opportunities to view and access the water in different ways. There are three main choices in this plan: The large plaza terrace space, woodland gathering area, and stairs that directly access the water.

The Main Plaza space of this concept contains a raised bike path that spans over a bio-retention basin. I further developed the idea of this spanning path to include supports that are arch shaped to tie into the historic Stone Arch Bridge on site. 

Collaborative Project with: Sabrina Nelson, Amy Nguyen, Joseph Miller

Waterworks Phase I is an already built park that looked at the historic aspects of the sites adjacent to the Stone Arch Bridge and the St. Anthony Falls Locke and Dam. 

This project was an analysis of this park as is constructed today.

On site there is a Parks Board building that houses Owamni and public space, an amphitheater seating area that doubles as an ADA access route and stairs, an event lawn, and gathering spaces.