The City Deck

location: Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA

• Firm: Stoss Landscape Urbanism
• Principal, Lead Designer: Chris Reed
• Project Manager: Scott Bishop
• Project Completion: Phase 1 opened in stages in 2009 to 2010, 1.75 acres
• Phase 2 and 3 will be completed in 2011-2012, additional 0.75 acres
• Software: AutoCAD, Rhino, and Adobe CS

CityDeck is a project to build a long waterfront public area in downtown, Green Bay, and Fox River flows next to the site.  Angled wood planes and custom concrete pave are laid out, and built-in wood seating puts along the deck.

The site of the project is located along three blocks next to the western shore of Fox, between the Ray Nitschke and Walnut Street bridges.  The project site is a 2.5-acre strip of land which is measured 50 to 60-feet-wide and one-quarter-mile long.  Downtown of Green Bay was renaissance with industrial and social activity in the past.  Similar to other cities, businesses in downtown started to move to outside of the city and waterfront and downtown became empty in the 1960s.  The heart of city did not play an important role in social and civic interaction.  Façades of buildings did not face to the river side, and the elevated walk along existing bulkhead walls blocked access down to the river.  The existing condition of site was not good, and it had become dim in people’s perception. At the beginning of project, most parcels were empty or abandoned or in use as parking lots.

Based on these constraints, important tasks of this project identifies broader urban design strategies for new open space and development along the river.  The site needs to be reconnected with city streets and created new growth of parcels next to the site.  “Phase one of The CityDeck grew out of these urban design studies and strategies, which are now being developed in parallel with the open space.  All was developed in close collaboration with City leaders and various local, regional, state, and federal regulatory agencies—as well as with the broader public.”

Phase 1 of the project started to negotiate an infrastructural landscape of physical, environmental, and code complexities, and took the need for social and economic revitalization in the city.  CityDeck is built on top of the existing river bulkhead wall.  This project begins at the design of simple boardwalk.  There are many problems in developing design.  Unstable wooden boardwalks with technical, code and programmatic issues were big constraints of the project.  The bulkhead wall was composed of segments in at least six different stages, and each wall had a different tieback and foundation system.  The site is laid with major city utilities on a high groundwater table.  It is affected by flows of surface ice in the river during winter.  The 3-D Rhino model created the image of winter season in the site, and expressed the connection of ice level on the water and the deck. 

The groundwork of CityDeck is minimalist concept.  A series of wooden platforms are arranged at the city grid and the geometry of the platforms provides various spaces along the very tight waterfront by folding their way up and down.  Despite of the various configurations of board walk, design can keep having uniform due to the materials.  A wide ipe wood board walk is harmonized with concrete pave plaza between the boardwalk and buildings.  The various shapes of seating—made of the same ipe—are extruded from the walking surface. 



The 3D-Model shows 142 linear feet of potential fishing area at its perimeter

with the ADA Act for accessible fishing locations.

The project program is comprised of lawn, café terraces, water feature, and plaza.  The design of the project seems like simple, but its atmosphere is changing with vibrant people.  A variety of people’s circulation passes through the linear corridor with different elevations and structure.  This mess of circulation encourages desolate area into crowded civic center.  In this point, the graphics of diagrams (upper images) represent the analysis of programs, views, and circulations in the site. It helps people understand the designs and challenges.  The function of plaza is flexible; it is good for diverse activities including festivals, vendors, and spontaneous activities.  The space on CityDeck is open and informal, and it has unpredicted transformation.  It also contains an informal amphitheater for performances including Irish dance troupes, dueling pianos, at least one wedding and an interaction play fountains at its southern end.  People can have casual play and picnicking on the Lawns at both north and south ends of the project.  Many details for a simple, evocative kit of parts of seating were created by Auto CAD. 

This project aims at sustainability which is important for conserving the design.  The site places on the water body, and stormwater management affects on the design; Infiltration channels corporate with terrace seams, and permeable pavers are harmonized with lawn and plating.  These methods recharge groundwater, block inputs to the old infrastructures, and reuse water to planting areas.  The circulation of water allows stormwater to regulate the amount and reuse it for feeding trees and plants.  The boardwalk and benches are made of sustainably harvested ipe wood which is famous for an extraordinarily long lifespan and reduces maintenance requirements.  By recycling existing bulkhead walls, it allows to reduce millions of dollars in budget.

CityDeck is qualified to be one of successful public examples because it is able to create innovative interactions on the site. This project economically, socially, and environmentally revitalizes the waterfront into the heart of the city.  After finishing phase 1, more than 100,000 visitors already came and enjoyed new civic life in 2010.  Next phases are ongoing, and will build two large over-water structures including amphitheater steps and stage, and an urban beach and docks for boaters.  Mixed uses of development projects are also in progress with this open space project.  CityDeck carries a clue for cities which are turning pale.  This is because it is able to generate a vibrant and bustling connection through new civic corridor.  Innovative landscape project provides another chance to take back a glorious history.

Reference Sources

Sanjay Gangal,"The CityDeck in Green Bay, Wisconsin by Stoss Landscape Urbanism." AECCafe,Oct 15,2011.Web. Jan 29, 2012 http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2011/10/15/the-citydeck-in-green-bay-wisconsin-by-stoss-landscape-urbanism/
StreeBMX,"Location 1." Jul 21, 2009 Web. Jan 29, 2012 http://streetbmxgb.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
The CityDeck, "Walnut Stree Flatform." 2008. Web. Jan 29, 2012 http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/CityDeck/walnut.html
Adam Regn Arvidson, "So Inclined." Landscape Architecture. 101. 11 (2011):140-153. Print.