The easternmost and lowest part of the East Bottoms is characterized by flooding, heavy industry, and interstitial farmland. The Missouri and Blue rivers border the side to the east and south, while highway 435 frames its western edge. Feeding the industry and polluting the environment, train tracks weave through the landscape delivering coal, agricultural chemicals, and raw goods. The narrow pot hole ridden roads, network of railroads, and lack of sidewalks make navigating throughout the area an intimidating affair. We considered the frequent flooding, polluted ecology, and public disconnectivity as prime opportunities for improvement and the foundation of our design interventions.

The frequent flooding, polluted ecology, and public disconnectivity are prime opportunities for improvement on our site and the foundation of our design interventions.

These maps indicate the areas existing habitats, the obstacles that disrupt them, and intended habitat connections.

This map indicates the existing vehicular traffic and their traffic.

These layers of development were designed simultaneously and considered as part of a whole.

The areas marked in blue indicate areas affected by stormwater and sewer backflow.

This map indicates the soil quality of the area.

This map indicates the existing sewage types in the area.

The areas marked in blue on this map are the topographical low points of the site.

This map indicates the existing railroads and their traffic.

These maps show our proposed layers of development: Public Connectivity, habitat connectivity, and green infrastructure connectivity.

Green Infrastructure Layer of Development

Solving the issue of flooding requires a system of moving and storing accumulated rainfall. Building upon existing plans for future sewer renovation, the East Bottoms Visioning Study proposes a Comprehensive green infrastructure system.

This diagram illustrates our process of excavating earth to create basins, and using the removed soilto cap and remediate polluted soils.

Sections through the landscape illustrate proposed cut and fill locations.

Evergy’s stormwater basin under a 50 year storm load.

Due to its distance from train and vehicular traffic, the second largest basin in the Working Landscape is designed to also serve as a wetland habitat. The excavation is shallower and the areas of pooling are fragmented. This allows for a more connected ecosystem.

Wetland basin under a 100 year storm load

A viewing plaxa overlooking the main basin’s eastern boarder under a 10 year storm load.

Section through the Main basin showing deeper continuous excavation for greater water retention and the public viewing plaza’s connection to the basin.

section through a typical drainage inlet, bioswale, and rain garden.

The Working Landscape’s green infrastructure approach invloves the conveyance and retention of stormwater, and doing so in a manner that is advantageous to the ecology.

Areas marked in red indicate our proposed excavation, and areas in blue indicate proposed soil fill.

Each green infrastructure component was evaluated on its surroundings and designed to enhance its characteristics.

Evergy’s stormwater basin under a 100 year storm load.

Wetland basin under a 10 year storm load.

Section through the wetland basin showing the interconnected pockets of habitation.

A viewing plaza overlooking te main basins eastern border under a 50 year storm load.

The area along front street functions as the main channel for conveying stormwater to each basin.

The Working Landscape portion of the system focuses on the retention of water. This map shows the proposed system of bioswales to convey water in retention basins.

Soil remediation timelines are dependent on the severity of pollution present. This map estimates soil remediation timelines for intended fill locations.

Evergy’s stormwater basin under a 10 year storm load.

Evergy’s main conveyance channel is broken up with a series of weirs. This compartmentalization slows the movement of water and reduces erosion on the system.

Wetland basin under a 50 year storm load

In contrast to the wetland basin, the northwest basin location is bordered by highway 435 to the west, busy train tracks to the east, and industry to the south. Because of this, the basins excavation and design are focused on maximum water retention and greater public interaction.

A viewing plaza overlooking the Main basin’s eastern border under a 100 year storm load.

Building upon Front Streets series of existing drainage inlets, a proposed bioswale connects all inlets to retention basins. The planting of rain gardens along these bioswales allow the earth to absorb more water and increase the maximum flow capacity of the system.

Ecological Layer of Development

Of all the areas in the East Bottoms, the Working Landscape has the greatest potential for natural habitation. It’s land is quasi-peninsular as it’s bordered by the Missouri and Blue rivers to the North, East, and South. Within, it contains large habitat corridors divided by roads, trains and farmland.

Our proposed restored habitats, the habitat disconnectivity due to infrastructure, and the proposed reconnection loop.

a more detailed look at some species benefiting from a restored forest habitat.

A more detailed look at some species benefiting from a restored Prairie habitat.

The location of the wildlife corridor bridge

Raising the earth, foliage, and trees above the road seamlessly connects the two habitats and provides adequate natural cover for animals to feel safe when crossing.

North section through habitat corridor bridge.

The Working Landscape’s approach to ecological restoration is grounded on the idea of taking land used for industry and farming and returning it to nature.

Controlled Burn strategies and mapping of implementation.

A more detailed look at some species benefiting from a restored marsh habitat.

Phasing Plan for proposed habitat restoration.

Vehicle and pedestrian infrastructure interrupt the habitat corridor perpendicularly, and a disconnect due to heavy train traffic runs parallel.

Due to the negative effects loud sound has on species habitation, the bridge is shaped to pull away from the rail bridge to increase the likelihood of use.

Aerial view of habitat corridor bridge.

Through restoration effors, native species will flourish, and the improved landscape will be enjoyed by creatures and people alike. The end goal of these efforts is to create a continuous loop of natural habitation.

Habitat seeding strategies and mapping of implementation.

A more detailed look at some species benefiting from a restored river habitat.

We’ve identified one specific area along Front Street where infrastructure bisects a nearly continuous existing wildlife corridor, and an opportunity to design a reconnection.

These disconnects severely limit species mobility affecting availability of food, ease of mating, rates of predation, and death from vehicular and train impacts. Constructing a tunnel underneath the rails and a land bridge over the road provides species with more avenues of mobility.

rendered plan of habitat corridor bridge.

A view leading over the bridge from the perspective of its furry users.

Public Trails

The trail system functions as a framework of public connectivity throughout the Working Landscape and to its surrounding region

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate existing parks into the trail

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate green infrastructure elements into the trail.

The trail creates two main connections to the Working Landscape and the region. The East Bottoms main road, Front St. forms the western connection. In the south, a series of structures spac trains and topography to connect the residences on Kessler Bluff to the Blue River.

On an intermediate scale, a series of towers provide a unified experiential connection across the landscape while formally responding to programmatic conditions.

An inside view of the Working Landscape’s Basin experience.

Daytime view of the Front St. 435 highway underpass providing lighting, greenery, and vehicular separation.

A diagram illustrating the vehicular trail head’s circulation

Section of Gateway Tower.

This map illustrates how the Working Landscape’s Public Realm connects to the region.

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate the area’s ecology into the trail.

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate proposed public spaces into the trail.

Design interventions along front street aim to ameliorate situations where road vehicles interfere with pedestrian and cyclist mobility and allow them to coexist.

Viewing tower overlooking the Working Landscape’s Main basin.

The pedestrian bridge connection from Kessler Park’s Indian Mound Neighborhood park to the lower Working Landscape.

Nighttime view of the Front St. 435 highway underpass providing lighting, greenery, and vehicular separation.

The vehicular trail head’s promenade leading to the Gateway Tower.

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate existing industrial elements into the trail.

This map illustrates the desire to incorporate existing trails into the system.

The public connectivity framework builds site specific experiential nodes connected through bike and pedestrian trails. This map indicates their proposed locations and connections.

On front streets median, a walkway above a swale separates pedestrians and cyclists from traffic

A bridge spanning over the Working Landscape’s Evergy Basin.

Front Street’s rail underpass proposes an expanded pedestrian pathway and a dedicated bike lane. A habitat corridor bridge above welcomes people to the Working Landscape.

Front St. terminates into the Working Landscape’s vehicular trail head.

Gateway Tower elevation people to allow views of the solar field