A little over a month has passed since we started studying the reservoir and  we have some updates!

For the past couple of weeks we have been working hard towards our very first upcoming project review. As we continue pushing our research and our findings, we have also started incorporating a couple of potential concepts for both the reservoir and the direct site around it. While the concepts are still in their preliminary stages, we are excited to present them to different professionals from around the area and get their feedback on how to move forward. Before this however, we have been critiquing ourselves as a studio to make sure we present our work in its best quality. 

A lot of the concepts that we have developed revolve around the ‘rooms’ that directly surround the reservoir. As seen in the diagram below, these outdoor rooms are defined by the designed existing streets, topographical conditions, and the foliage that surrounds them. These rooms also define the different activities that are ongoing in the reservoir, like disc golf. We have identified these rooms as being the root of our proposals, since we can begin to identify potential paths that unite them, as well as potential concepts that are driven by the lack of connection between these rooms and the reservoir. 

A few other concepts focus on the reservoir’s historical symmetry and present asymmetry. As we studied the reservoir’s geometry and proportions from historical plans to present conditions, we identified the two basins of the reservoir to be originally designed as a symmetrical pair, but the nature of its morphology to the present has created an asymmetrical environment due to the cracks and decay in the materials. This shift in condition throughout history is an important aspect of the reservoir, which is why our concepts aim to highlight through a contrasting axis. 

We continue to work hard to further develop these preliminary concepts and hope to gain applicable feedback from our peers, colleagues and, most importantly, the community! 

Wow, we have been busy! 

Since our last post we had our first advisory on meeting Wednesday September 15.  A huge thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to join us, virtually, while we presented our findings!  Our advisory board is made up of individuals from the neighborhoods surrounding Kessler Park, KCMO Parks and Rec, The Kansas City Museum, and many professionals in the Kansas City area.  This group helps guide the direction of the project and make sure we are addressing the critical needs of the community. We can’t thank them enough for their feedback!

We also participated in Park(ing) Day on Saturday September 18! As a studio we put our heads together to re-imagine what a normal parking spot could be transformed into.  On top of that we were able to reuse things we had around the studio to create a fun parklet which gave us the perfect opportunity to introduce attendees to the Kessler Park Vision Study project. Thanks to Park(ing) Day we were able to gather so much great feedback about what people want to see in Kessler Park.  

Finally, we hosted our first public meeting on Wednesday September 22.  A huge thank you to all who joined! With that meeting we were able to meet numerous members of the community and gather feedback on what they would like to see happen with the reservoir and the challenges and opportunities they notice as residents.

Moving forward we will be taking the feedback we received from our Advisory group and the public to improve our research and keep developing our work.  Depicted below is just one of the many maps we have been developing.  This map shows amenities in the surrounding areas such as food, retail, education and more as well a walking radius from the reservoir in order to help us see what is available to park users currently and what amenities are lacking in the area.

The public meeting live stream is available to watch on our Facebook page: https://fb.watch/8dJZjAx8yT/ Our next public meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 3rd and we will use a hybrid format, holding the meeting at PH Coffee but retaining a virtual component for those that might not be able to attend in person.

With the new academic year comes new challenges! The Kansas City Design Center is getting back into its studies for the 2021-22 academic year with 11 new graduate students. We have returned in-person to the studio space and are excited to flex our design muscles! Our student population comes from all over Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and even Puerto Rico! So far, we all agree that Kansas City is an incredible place to study and live.

Our project this year involves the expansive Kessler Park and focuses on the neglected Reservoir situated between Reservoir Drive and Cliff Drive and addresses the need for community space in this area of the city. Our efforts have been in full swing for about two weeks now, and we have assembled to identify and analyze site conditions, historic documents, demographic trends, past and existing initiatives and precedents. Our first site visit to Kessler Park wrapped last week and left us with great contextual information regarding the reservoir. We were able to visit North Terrace Lake, the Lexington Ave bridge, the historic Colonnade, and the Kansas City Museum in Scarritt Renaissance.

As a studio, we were shocked to learn that only a few of us were familiar with Kessler Park. This gave us a great opportunity to do some digging. Thankfully, building off the work of previous studios and firms we partner with, we were able to pull from city planning initiatives and diagrams to gain a better understanding of Kessler Park as a whole.

From here, we hope to conclude the inventory phase with more knowledge as to how Kessler Park and its associated neighborhoods interact. This will give us valuable insight and direction before we do any design work.
Please follow along as we continue to work diligently for Kessler Park’s benefit. We plan to post monthly blog updates right here! Our Instagram (@kcdesigncenter) will also include more frequent and personal updates from different studio members. We are excited to embark on this project and learn from Kansas City!

Meet the Studio!!

Lydia Carter
I was originally born in Colorado, but I grew up in Kansas City, MO. I went to UMKC for my first two years of architecture school, and I loved working on urban projects. Ultimately, urban design and the overall atmosphere of the city brought me back to the KCDC for my final year.

Donovan Douglas
I am a fifth year Master of Architecture student— I spent two years of my education at the University of Missouri Kansas City before moving to K-State in my third. I chose to come to the KCDC to experience a more grounded project with community interaction. I believe it will be a welcome part of my education and I think it is a crucial skill to have as an architect.

Jonathan Ludwick
I chose to be at the KCDC because I wanted to be part of an environment that closely resembles the work environment of a firm. I have interned every summer since high school and I believe that I can bring a professional mindset to the table for the studio.

Matthew McGuire
I am from Bentonville, Arkansas but have family all throughout Kansas. Kansas City is like a second home to me! As a fifth year Architecture student coming from K-State, I decided to come to the KCDC to round out my academic experience through urban design. I believe this studio will give me valuable opportunities to better communities, while also improving my design work. I am excited for this last year in college!

Payton Monks
My name is Payton Monks, I am a fifth year architecture student at K-State University. Growing up in KC, I have been exposed to the many aspects that make this such a great place to live and watch the various communities grow and prosper. As an avid prescriber to the idea that ‘design builds community’ I am excited to be a part of the KCDC where I have the opportunity to enhance the community I grew up in. I believe this will be a critical final step in shaping who I am as a designer before I graduate.

Becca Pedrosa, LEED Green Associate
I am a fifth year Architecture student with a minor in English Writing. I am originally from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and moved to the US to study at K-State, however I decided to spend the last year of my Masters at the KCDC. I believe this studio can help me develop my collaborative skills while also being able to participate from an urban setting. Through this, I can learn to design by addressing the communities needs and how to provide solutions in a sustainable and effective manner.

Kris Snodgrass
My name is Kris Snodgrass and I am a fifth year Architecture student. I am originally from KC but spent my last four years in the little apple. I joined KCDC for the opportunity to work alongside my peers on urban design and revitalization for my hometown.

Taryn Vogan
Taryn Vogan decided to finish her last year of school at KCDC because she loves Kansas City and enjoys what the downtown has to offer. Taryn’s goal for the semester is to try every coffee shop in the KC metro area and would love your suggestions!

Braydn Voorhees
My name is Braydn Voorhees. I am a fifth year Architecture student. I decided to spend my final year at KCDC to study design at a different scale. So far it has been an amazing experience to study the city that you live in.

Madi Wieseler
I’m Madi and I have grown up in KC ever since I was little. For the past four years I went to K-State in Manhattan for Architecture school. Although I do miss Manahattan, I am happy to be back in my home city. Not only is it nice to change up my scenery but I have excited to continue to experience new parts of KC and lean more about this city through a different lens.

Aurora Wilson
My name is Aurora Wilson and I am finishing up my masters at KCDC in order to develop my skills in architecture and planning and get some real-world experience with community involvement while spending some time in KC (where I hope to work after graduation).