How can a withering historic park system be re-envisioned as an interrelated whole?

2014-2015 | Vision Study for Kessler Park

“Beautiful and picturesque," that is how Kessler Park was described over a hundred years ago when it became part of the Parks and Boulevard system of Kansas City, Missouri. Nestled in the Northeast Neighborhood, the 300 acre park is a haven for lush vegetation and outdoor activities. Over the years, time and neglect have taken their toll on the park and a vision plan for the future of Kessler Park that addresses these issues is vital to the rehabilitation and development of the Independence Avenue area. In collaboration with KC Parks and Recreation, the 2014-2015 KCDC Studio developed a vision plan which proposes improvements and development of existing areas of the park with a strategy for connecting these zones within the park and, most importantly, reconnecting the park to the people and to the city. This vision study ultimately culminated into a plan for the strategic repurposing of Kessler Park's abandoned water reservoir. Dividing into two groups, KCDC students tackled two different designs for the water reservoir. 

For more information on this project, please see our publications listed below.