Design Problem

Hargreaves Associate's Riverfront Plan proposed an urban island on Nashville's East Bank to be developed as approximately 80% park space, and 20% new urban block development. Students in the design studio assumed different ratios of park to urban development to test the design possibilities.

One student assumed the 80/20 ratio, while the others assumed 46/60, 60/40, or 20/80 respectively. In all cases, new urban development was to be mixed in use, adhering to LEED-ND Silver standards.

Two students assumed the water channel formed the island literally, while two other students assumed the island was made “conceptually” by a new boulevard to be in essentially the same alignment as the channel. This demonstrated that if the channel idea was eventually to be proven not viable for environmental or economic reasons, the larger conceptual idea would remain valid and powerful.