One of the country's most scrutinized and anticipated renovation projects, Philadelphia's LOVE Park, has been unveiling critical design decisions in recent weeks.
A beloved feature of Philadelphia's JFK Plaza, also known as LOVE Park, remains intact in the latest design proposals for the redevelopment of the park.
"When JFK Plaza / LOVE Park reopens in 2017 it will feature a refreshed version of the iconic Fairmount Park Welcome Center, the round mid-century modern pavilion in the southwest corner of the park, which will be outfitted for a 'significant food and beverage operation,'" reports Ashley Hahn.
So, the final design concept unveiled earlier this week by Hargreaves Associates and KieranTimberlake includes "the saucer" that has inspired a preservationist movement known as the Saucer Watch 2015.
According to Hahn, "KieranTimberlake found the saucer – essentially a concrete umbrella – is structurally viable, and it turns out, nicely adaptable. But that’s not to say there isn’t major reconstructive surgery to be done." Hahn goes on to detail the details of the work that the saucer will require.
In addition to the public support for the project, the decision to keep the saucer made fiscal sense: "Compared to a new building of the same square footage, the saucer proved cheaper to reuse by an estimated $1.6-$2 million. The estimated cost to renovate and outfit the building is $3.2 million, but constructing a new building of the same size on the park’s southwest corner could cost at least $4.8-$5 million."
The article includes additional discussion about the remaining design challenges facing the final design process.
FULL STORY: Designers show Saucer some LOVE
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.