Welcome to the (he)ART of Sherman Park.
Located in the northwestern quadrant of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sherman Park is a central city neighborhood facing high rates of foreclosure, poverty and crime. The neighborhood entered the national spotlight in the summer of 2016, when a series of overnight riots broke out in the neighborhood’s central streets. The objective of the studio is to re-imagine the future of the neighborhood, and in particular, the future of Sherman Park’s Center Peace neighborhood. Coined by the neighborhood’s residents, Center Peace refers to a small portion of Sherman Park, and faces several issues including fast-moving automobiles, pedestrian safety, housing foreclosures and unprecedented crime rates.
After planning a community engagement session in tandem with the third and final neighborhood block watch training with the Milwaukee Police Department in October of 2017, approximately 12 neighborhood residents provided information that would influence the overall project design.
After planning a community engagement session in tandem with the third and final neighborhood block watch training with the Milwaukee Police Department in October of 2017, approximately 12 neighborhood residents provided information that would influence the overall project design.
Vision: Master Plan |
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Daytime ActivationCenter Peace is a vibrant neighborhood located in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park. Coined by neighborhood residents, the title Center Peace reflects its close proximity to the Center Street business improvement district and its growing trend of roadside peace gardens.
After engaging with neighborhood residents, the intersection of 40th Street and Wright Street emerged as a perfect case study site to explore new and innovative design ideas. Three of its four corners are unoccupied. The intersection is also the geographical heart of the community. The new 40th Street Artery proposal reimagines a vibrant future nexus for the cultivation of culture, diversity, and the arts with a new Art House at the Wright Street intersection. Nighttime ActivationThe new 40th Street Artery design calls for both daytime and nighttime artistic events and activities. The proposed design cultivates a playful, safe, and friendly neighborhood for residents of all ages.
During the day, colorful pavers will mark 40th Street as Center Peace’s central artery. At night, a colorful symphony of light will illuminate the street. Lighting improvements will be incremental but, upon completion, will enhance the sense of safety in this neighborhood. Initially, small, private investments will provide updated front porch lights or solar-powered walkway lighting. Future lighting elements include up-lighting existing boulevard trees, adding artistic street side light fixtures, and installing a ribbon of light to call-out the street’s bump-outs and major intersections. |
Activate: Programming |
Urban Agriculture
Across the United States, front porches have become underutilized spaces. Activating front porches can transform the Center Peace neighborhood into an active community for arts and strengthen neighborly connections between residents. Residents can organize “Porch Fests” to showcase the neighborhood’s talent, host a book club, or hold a town hall meeting.
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Vacant Lot Programming: Daytime Activities
Seasonal programming in vacant lots can transform underutilized spaces into vibrant third spaces and foster community-building. Color is used to indicates a series of programmed activity spaces and helps direct users to proceed through the neighborhood in a sequential manner. For example, in the depiction above, the orange stripe on the utility pole indicates location of urban agriculture and the blue indicates a performance space.
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Nighttime Activation
Center Peace residents often cite a sense of insecurity in the neighborhood after sundown. Current initiatives by neighborhood residents include additional porch lighting and upgraded street lights to make sure that the streets are well lit. This proposal demonstrates suggests ways to activate vacant spaces along 40th Street at night through active programming and street lights. The project expects that this neighborhood will see a decrease in criminal activity because of the added “eyes on the street” at all times during the day and night. Nighttime programming can include added decorative lighting, outdoor movie nights, and uplighting on trees. This design also provides opportunities to partner with the City of Milwaukee Police Department in order to foster an emotional connection between neighborhood residents, youth, and law enforcement officials.
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Porch Fest
Across the United States, front porches have become underutilized spaces. Activating front porches can transform the Center Peace neighborhood into an active community for arts and strengthen neighborly connections between residents. Residents can organize “Porch Fests” to showcase the neighborhood’s talent, host a book club, or hold a town hall meeting.
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Catalytic Insertion: Art House |
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Center Peace’s Art House will bring life and vitality back to the intersection of 40th Street and Wright Street. According to neighborhood residents, the intersection is perceived as a high-trafficked location for criminal activities because 3 of its 4 corners are vacant properties. In addition, the intersection is viewed as the geographic heart of the Center Peace neighborhood. Therefore, the proposed catalytic insertion located in the southwest quadrant will serve as a catalyst for the neighborhood’s revitalization and a new third space for community engagement. Similar to Pittsburg’s Homewood neighborhood Art House, the first phase includes retrofitting existing rooms for studio and gallery space. The house’s existing parlor can be retrofitted to include a sculpture. In addition, temporary walls can be constructed to display artwork produced by neighborhood residents and artists occupying the Art House. The integrity of the house will remain, while new uses will revitalize the vacant property. After-school programs for the neighborhood’s youth will help promote safe alternatives to the neighborhood’s high-level of drug trafficking, gang violence, and other crime.
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Plan: First Floor |
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