Hybrid Landscapes: Toward an Inclusive Ecological Urbanism on Seattle's Central Waterfront
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HYBRID LANDSCAPES 245 Hybrid Landscapes: Toward an Inclusive Ecological Urbanism on Seattle's Central Waterfront JEFFREY HOU University of Washington Urban Ecologies How would an inclusive approach of ecological urbanism address the imperatives of restoring Ecological design in the urban context faces a and enhancing the urban ecosystems while dual challenge of meeting ecological offering expressions of ecological and social imperatives and negotiating meaningful multiplicity in the urban environment? This expressions for the coexistence of urban paper examines a series of recent design infrastructure, human activities, and proposals for the Central Waterfront in Seattle ecological processes. In recent years, a that acknowledges the multiple constructions growing body of literature and examples of of social, ecological and economic processes in urban sustainable design has addressed issues this evolving urban edge. Specifically, the such as habitats restoration, stormwater analysis looks at how these hybrid design management, and energy and resource proposals respond to the ecological, economic, conservation. While such work have been and social demands on the City's waterfront important in building the necessary knowledge edge. The paper first describes the historical and experiences toward resolving problems of and developmental contexts for the recent ecological importance, there have not been explorations by various stakeholders in the adequate discussions on strategies of City, followed by a discussion of selected conceptual and tectonic expressions of works. It then examines the theoretical sustainability that embody the ecological and implications as well as practical challenges social complexity in the urban environment. and opportunities for a vision of inclusive The inadequacy is exemplified in the tendency ecological urbanism. to reproduce naturalistic environment in which the appearance often disguises the complex Seattle's Evolving Waterfront processes and conflicts on the site. These design projects often fail to engage multiple Since Seattle's founding in 1852, the understandings and forces in an urban transformation of its downtown Central context. Parallel to the discourse of Waterfront has been closely linked to the sustainable design, a growing body of city's development and evolving identity. literature under the rubric of landscape Formerly the site of a Duwamish tribal village, urbanism has stressed the blurring boundaries the waterfront has served as the city's between architecture and landscape, forms manufacturing and industrial core. Over the and processes, ecological and cultural (e.g., span of decades, rail lines, mill waste, ship Angelil and Klingmann, 1999; Corner, 1997; ballast and earth from numerous regrade Mostafavi and Najle, eds. 2003; Pollack, projects have transformed the waterfront from 1999; Waldheim, 2002). The recent a naturalistic shoreline to a concrete urban discourses and design projects offer advances edge. In the mid-1930s, a seawall was built, in theoretical thinking and design expressions. creating the Alaskan Way. After World War 11, However, actual outcomes in terms of the waterfront experienced another major improved ecological functions in the urban change as the Alaskan Way Viaduct, was environment remain to be seen. completed in 1953. Following the 1962 246 GElTING REAL: DESIGN ETHOS NOW World's Fair in Seattle, the prospect of tourism city, held a month-long design collaborative in and commercial development led to a series of September 2003, involving seven teams of new projects (DPD 2003). Several parks and local design and planning professionals to open space have since been created, In 1982, formulate proposals based on three specific a streetcar service began operating on the criteria: removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Alaskan Way, linking tourist attractions and subsurface through-traffic, and prioritization public amenities along the waterfront and of pedestrian activities (Allied Arts of Seattle parts of downtown. In the 19901s, a series of 2003). In summer 2005, Allied Arts organized development projects including new offices, a a second design collaborative specifically to hotel, and condominiums were built on advocate its preference of the tunnel waterfront parcels formerly owned by the Port alternative for Viaduct replacement. In the of Seattle. In a haphazard way, the Central meantime, other civic organizations have been Waterfront has become a diverse urban supporting different alternatives. Particularly, corridor with tourism activities, industries, a grassroots group called 'People's Waterfront public recreation and commerce, coalesced Coalition' has been advocating for no with layers of history and the overshadowing replacement of the Alaskan Viaduct, arguing presence of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. that the replacement would be too costly and that the transportation needs could be The current redevelopment planning for the addressed through other improvements Central Waterfront was triggered by the 2001 elsewhere in the city. Currently, the City is in Nisqually Quake, which resulted in significant favor of the expensive tunnel alternative. damage to the Viaduct and the aging seawall. However, the project remains uncertain The planning for reconstruction and repair of because of the lack of adequate funding to the waterfront infrastructure opens a new and implement the tunnel alternative. To address rare window of opportunity for redesigning a the multiple interests and need for public new waterfront edge for the City, which has input, the City's Department of Planning and been disconnected from its downtown Development (DPD) initiated a planning and business and lacks significant public public involvement process to create a long- amenities. A number of new development term vision and strategy in early 2003 (SDC & projects on the waterfront also create a desire SPC, 2004). The process culminated in a large for greater coordination and collective visions. design charrette held in February 2004, with These projects include additions to the Seattle involvement of more than 300 designers, Aquarium, expansion of the Washington State planners, artists, and concerned citizens from Ferry Terminal, and a large sculptural park the region and abroad. Altogether, 22 being developed by the Seattle Art Museum. schemes were proposed. Additionally, Terminal 46, a 90-acre cargo container facility owned by the Port of Seattle, Design Visions and Proposals has been a subject of contentious debate between developers and Port workers who From the city-sponsored charrette, the Allied envision different futures for this largest Arts' design collaborative, and design studios waterfront property in the city. Among the at University of Washington, a variety of multiple projects and uncertainties, the design and planning proposals have emerged. central debate concerning the redevelopment Aside from addressing the multiple needs and of Central Waterfront has been the challenges, one of the most consistent themes replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. across the different proposals has been the Different replacement alternatives for the articulation of the waterfront's dual identity as Viaduct and seawall have been evaluated by both an ecosystem and an urban space. local and state agencies, ranging from Specifically, the various combinations of reconstruction of the Viaduct to different habitat functions and urban infrastructure subsurface and subsurface solutions. became a key feature shared by many of the proposals. In a proposal entitled Split Given the significance of the waterfront Decision, a floating ferry terminal was redevelopment, various local organizations in proposed that would combine habitat the city have attempted to influence the functions and transportation infrastructure. planning process and outcome. The Allied Arts Similarly, a 'habitat barge' was proposed by of Seattle, a civic organization concerned another charrette team Econnection, which mainly with design and planning issues in the would provide additional habitats near the HYBRID LANDSCAPES 247 shore. Several schemes have sought to create softened shoreline edges that would include islands and floating piers in the Elliott Bay, as well as integrating canals into new waterfront developments. In restoring near-shore habitats, many schemes have included coves, ledges and shelves along the seawalls. In a proposal entitled Reversed Evolution, Terminal 46 was converted into a Duwamish Basin Park, featuring naturalistic shoreline, mixed with housing and recreational facilities. To provide a more in-depth discussion of the proposals, the following discussion focuses on three of the proposals that explicitly respond to the waterfront's hybrid conditions. Edge Habitat(s) From the City-sponsored charrette, the group Edge Habitat(s), formed by graduate students and a faculty member from University of Washington, created a series of designs that highlighted the mixing of ecological processes and urban activities on the waterfront. The design elements included Salmon Spirals that would create false bathymetry by retrofitting existing pier columns. The design features a spiral ramp that would slope down into the water to provide habitats for salmons and other juvenile fish. The spiral can also be Figure 1. Salmon Spiral - Stephanie Hurley with combined with other design features such as Edge Habitat(s) an underwater observatory and aboveground play structure for children (see Figure 1). In gardens to serve as