CITYWORKS Spark Innovation. Forge Connections. Design Change. WHO, WHAT, WHERE? The CityWorks Fellowship ABOUT US:

CityWorks is a participatory design studio through DownCity Design that brings community together to shape public space.

This year’s CityWorks program invited local artists and makers to submit proposals for a temporary public design project along the downtown Providence Riverwalk. THEMES:

• RESILIENCE

• CLIMATE CHANGE

• PLACE -BASED HISTORY Me! 2018-2019 FELLOWS:

Brant Gawrys Susan Parson Kristina Brown Devon Artis White Jessica Jennings Sagree Sharma William Cornwall Virginia Badgett Katie Murphy Ania Szemiot Joshua Coroa Jazandra Barros C.J. Opperthauser Isabelle Yisak Kaitlin DeGregorio Jerry Batista

Led by Manuel Cordero Alvarado and Bryce DuBois ….With major assistance and guidance from Adrienne Gannon BUT, WHAT IS IT? Like…what did you actually do? SUMMARY:

• IDENTIFIED GOALS/ DEFINED THEMES

• CREATED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

• SELECTED A WINNING DESIGN TO BUILD LOCATION:

• Initial constraints were loosely based anywhere along S. Water Street. • Except P-1A, which may be developed. • Across from the RISD Architecture School. • Near the new pedestrian walking bridge. THE PROCESS DownCity Design protocol…

IDENTIFY Design Process: Step One STAKEHOLDERS:

Local Constituent Panel: Climate Change and Resilience Panel: Cliff Wood – Providence Foundation Caitlin Chaffee – RI Coastal Resource Management Council Amber Ilcisko – I-195 Redevelopment District Kurt Teichert – Environment and Society Professor @ Brown Alicia Lehrer – Watershed Council Leah Bamberger – Director of Sustainability Maurice Collins – Wild Colonial Laura Bozzi – RI Department of Health Peter Stempel – Climate Change Professor @ RISD History and Future Panel: Barnaby Evans - Waterfire Arts Center Client: Micah & Gina – Department of Art, Culture + Tourism Wendy Nilsson – Providence Department of Parks Ray Two Hawks Watson – Providence Cultural Equity Initiative Bonnie Nickerson – Department of Planning and Development HISTORY Barnaby & Ray Two Hawks THE COVE 1818:

Providence from Across the Cove Alvan Fisher, 1818 Historic Society THE COVE 1823:

• The Providence Cove in 1823. • The Woonasquatucket River enters from the west and the Moshassuck and West Rivers from the North. • To the south is the , an arm of .

N THE COVE 1847:

• Part of the plan approved by the City Council on March 8, 1847. • The , which used the Moshassuck River can be seen. • The center of the Cove was retained as a scenic fixture and circled with trees and a roadway. • The remainder was filled. THE COVE 1849:

Evolution of Waterplace Park THE COVE 1858:

Providence Rhode Island, 1858 John Badger Bachelder Library of Congress FUTURE Develop Parcels & Park Network • Plan to create a network of parks along the river PARK NETWORK • The Woonasquatucket River Greenway Project is a catalyst for renewal PLANS: • Plans for unified graphics & signage • Create a walkable safe city GREENWAY:

• Located along the Woonasquatucket River in Providence. • The green linear park revitalizes the major hidden natural resource. • Regenerating local habitats. • The West Side of the City and is a destination. • A bicycle/pedestrian path links: • recreational areas, • green spaces, • destination sites, • and the neighborhoods of Manton, Hartford, Olneyville, Valley, and Smith Hill to each other and Waterplace Park in downtown Providence. • Innovation & Design District I-195 • Mission: REDEVELOPMENT • To foster economic development on Rhode Island's 195 land. • Create an environment that encourages high-value users to build well- DISTRICT: designed structures that enhance the value of surrounding neighborhoods and augment the sense of place. NEARBY:

• Wexford Innovation Center • South Street Landing • Jonson & Wales NEARBY:

• Pedestrian Bridge • The Shack • Riverwalk Extension NEARBY:

• Parcel 42: Hope Point Tower* • Parcel 1-A: Kendall Hotel Group* • Garrahy Garage

*pending approval CLIMATE CHANGE Environment & Society & Health Department WATER:

• It’s Rising • And that’s bad UNDER WATER

• Projected water level rise in the state of Rhode Island SURGE DEPTH

• Projected hurricane surge flooding. • South of the I-195 Bridge. SURGE DEPTH

• Projected hurricane surge flooding. • Around the Point Street Bridge. • North of the Hurricane Barrier. TAKING IT BACK:

• Extreme flooding projected along the river. • In locations where humans created landfills espeically. • Nature is going to take back what used to be water! Air quality: projections and health effects

Climate change is expected to increase: • Ground level ozone, which triggers asthma and other respiratory conditions • Pollen and allergies by increasing the length and severity of the allergy season. Allergens aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions • Indoor air quality problems, especially mold due to flooding. Mold worsens respiratory illnesses Greater Providence Childhood Asthma Hot Spots

Rate per 1,000 Medicaid enrollees age 0-17 with one or more asthma-related emergency department or inpatient visits, four-year average by census tract.

Estimates that have an RSE of 20- <30% are considered statistically unstable and need to be interpreted with caution Storms, Flooding, and Sea Level Rise Increased Precipitation

• The Northeast has seen the largest increase in precipitation compared with other parts of the country. • Further increases in rainfall of one to three inches per decade are expected mostly during the winter and spring. • Clustering of rainfall may lead to periods of flood and drought.

STOP:

• Fear Appeals • Deficit Models • Guilt Tripping • Visualizing Devastation BUT, I’M GOOD:

• People are predisposed to believe they (and their peers) are good. • Behaviors are honorable & socially beneficial. • Don’t intentionally want to cause harm our planet, nature, or society. WHAT WORKS:

• Dialogic processes that allow for interaction. • Co -creation of outputs. • Authentic Narratives • Personal • Relevant to peoples lives • Sense of Stewardship and responsibility. EXPLORE Design Process: Step Two DEBRIEFING EXERCISES: TAKE AWAY:

• Interactive • Inclusive • Historically • Culturally • Physically • Geographically • Realistic Goals THE SITE:

• Riverwalk • North of P-1A Proposed Building • North of Pedestrian Bridge • Across from Irish Famine Memorial

N

DOCUMENT:

• Initial Site Walk-through • Document existing conditions • Successes • Failures • Talk to people who know more than you about their community • Map major landmarks • Thoughts / Feelings TAKE AWAY:

• Place-keeping • Eco -centric • Lonely / Dead space • Riverfront as Corridor • Natural Ecologic Cycles • Communicating History IMAGINE Design Process: Step Three NOW WHAT???

• What can the “thing” be? • How to consolidate all this information? • Then create a Request for Proposal that encompasses these ideas? • Need to express intentions clearly & concisely. PROJECT COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEES: MANAGEMENT

• Split into (4) teams to break up work. • Start building the RFP. • Some crossover between groups.

COMMUNITY EVALUATION ENGAGEMENT LOTS OF GOOGLE DOCS CONVOS…

• Editing / Drafting / Revision • Clarifying Ideas In RFP • Communicating Intentions • Creating Evaluation Rubrics CREATED THEMES:

• RESILIENCE

• CLIMATE CHANGE

• PLACE -BASED HISTORY REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL EVOLVE Design Process: Step Four EVALUATION RUBRIC:

• Thematic Evaluation: • Envisioning Resilience • Ecological • Sociocultural • Viability Evaluation • Accessibility • Lifecycle / Durability • Feasibility • Team Capacity FINALISTS: (A) GREENWAVES: (B) LIVING EDGE: (C) OVERFLOW: SHARE Design Process: Step Five COMMUNITY FEEDBACK:

• Put up flyers • Set up Boards in Library • Stood at site to talk to passersby • Set up online polling system • Share with network SPREADSHEETS!

• Create access for all groups of people • Encourage participation • Contribution of thoughts from community FEEDBACK

• Padlet Polling • Set up Boards in Library • Stood at site to talk to passersby • Set up online polling system • Share with network WINNER!

• Adam E. Anderson • Landscape Architect • Design Under Sky • Living Edge Project • Sunflower Installation WILDLIFE:

• Demonstrative strategy • Biodegradable landscape • Uses native vegetation • Trees • Wild grasses • Plants • Mulch path • Creates biodiversity • Return to nature in an Urban landscape • Wildlife habitat MAKE Design Process: Step Six PHASES:

• Set up Phases • Based on Budget • Divided up by needs • Meet with Designer • Adjust and Confirm CONTRACT:

• Write a contract • Confirm with city • Apply to CRMC • Confirm tree selection • Ensure Safety

BEFORE: DIG!