What is now three miles of underutilized and neglected waterfront property is envisioned as a vibrant new mixed-use community, with a dramatic ribbon of riverfront parks and walkways that are intertwined with small neighborhoods and upland connections. A new open space system was conceived and given form as a critical component of the vision plan in which Thomas Balsley Associates participated with Cooper Robertson Partners, the city’s stakeholders, and Detroit’s Economic Development Corporation.
The 240-acre park experience ranges from broad, sweeping greenswards and state parks along a naturalized shoreline to large, interpretive grassland parks. Smaller social and active spaces for play, gatherings, and events enrich the park experience. All have been conceived of as common grounds for a new and diverse community, with river heritage narratives woven throughout in the language and culture of 21st century recreation. When completed, these parks will finally link Hart Plaza at the city’s downtown center to pastoral Belle Isle, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and in doing so, reintroduce the citizens to their river and the world to a new image of Detroit.
Gateway Mall Master Plan
The Gateway Mall runs 18 blocks through the center of downtown St. Louis, terminating at the famous Eero Saarinen Arch, and provides a green spine in which the downtown’s workers, residents, and visitors can relax and celebrate urban living.
The mall never fully lived up to the potential envisioned by the civic leaders at the time of its inception. Thom...
Next C
Next C Water City is a new, fully self-contained sustainable city planned for 500,000 residents. Water was central to the Next C planning concept, supplied by two adjacent rivers and monsoon rains. The city is a system of wetlands, rivers, lakes, and canals, cleansing the water from up-river communities and managing floods during the monsoon season. Working wi...
South Waterfront Greenway
The new urban plan for South Waterfront includes a 1-1/2 mile extension of downtown’s waterfront parks and the reclamation of the Willamette River for public recreation. The design team worked closely with the City of Portland, developers, and natural resource advocates to strike a balance between development, recreation and re-naturalization of this neglected...
Dubai Expo 2020
From October 2021 to April 2022, the City of Dubai will host the World Expo: a large-scale International Registered Exhibition that will bring nations together with universal themes and immersive experiences. It will comprise an entire new city, built on a 1,083-acre site between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Expo site is organized around a central plaza linked to ...