Design X - Spring 2014

Stewardson  Competition

Problem Statement:  Ridge Avenue, formerly known as Ridge Road is one of the oldest roads in Philadelphia as it had been a prominent trail used by the Native Americans that once lived in the area. Since William Penn restructured Philadelphia’s North to South grid System, Ridge Avenue retained its diagonal grid, establishing itself as an anomaly in Philadelphia’s current street grid. As Philadelphia’s streets and cityscape had modernized around the areas nearby Ridge Avenue, the road’s attention had dwindled, causing it to become a dividing line - splitting up neighborhoods on both sides of the street. Specifically in the Francisville neighborhood just North of center city, the lack of commercial and residential development along Ridge Avenue had lead the neighborhood into an economic and social decline...

Project Intent:  Revitalize Francisville’s Art District by restructuring Ridge Avenue above street level while emerging it into a serene destination that encourages human interactions, public gatherings, and promotes the pactice and display of art.

Proposition:  Through the setback of the second and third level apartment dwellings, an emerging promenade space functions to draw pedestrian movement upwards and establish itself as a destination for relaxation and social gathering. Through the design’s series of pedestrian bridges, cinema seating, and small alcoves for musicicans and artists, the promenade connects both sides of Ridge Avenue to one another.