The winning firm was announced to design the West Riverfront Park in Detroit.
The 22-acres might not look like much right now, but it will soon be transformed into a park that Detroiters will love to visit.
“It’s an incredible moment when a city decides to make a gift to the future of a park,” said landscape architect designer Michael Van Valkenburgh.
His design firm has been chosen to work on the West Riverfront Park.
Marc Pasco of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy explained, “They really nailed it. They had a great vision. They knew what they wanted to do. They did a lot of research, reaching out to the community.”
Michael first visited the site in September and immediately got the idea of creating a cove by the river after getting inspiration from a someone who was fishing.
He said, “Creating access to the river around thinking how cool it would be if fishermen were better accommodated.”
Michael is no stranger to empty acres in a big city. He says research shows, if you build it they will come.
“I’ve worked on sites, like Brooklyn Bridge Park was not inhabited at the edges 20 years ago.”
The firm will be open to more suggestions for the park, but they feel they’re off to a great start.
Van Valkenburgh added,“We’ve thought of things that the whole city would want to come to do.”
The conversancy expects the park to be finished by 2022.
