The architectural firm, Cooper Robertson, will work in consultation with landscape architect, Atlas Lab Inc., to produce a comprehensive vision of a 324 ha (800 acre) area in the River District in Sacramento, California.
The primarily industrialized district, located adjacent to downtown Sacramento, has some commercial, transportation, and residential establishments that spill over from downtown and other adjacent central city neighborhoods. One of them is an office development worth more than 92,903 m22 (1 million square meters), a residential development named Township 9, and a new freeway interchange being built for Interstate 5 (I-5). This prompted the River District Business and Property Improvement District (PBID), who represent area property owners, to approach the companies to present a vision for the future development of the district.
In presenting the vision, companies will consider the following goals and objectives:
- How might the district transition over the next 10 to 20 years in response to changes in the types of development moving into the area?
- Have a set of guiding principles for the development of the region.
- Present a visual identity and character for the area’s public realm; incorporate how features such as tree canopies, bike lanes, and pedestrian-focused sidewalks can enrich a previously industrialized area into a healthy urban space.
- Establish a framework for the different establishments in the region, for example, where to place residential versus where to include commercial establishments, and which areas can remain industrial.
- Establish a vision for the type of office environments and residential spaces that will have long-term value, taking into account how the pandemic has affected workplaces and living spaces.
- Help the City of California (not a direct client, but still an important stakeholder) create a plan to strategize land use and investment in the district.
An important part of the vision will also focus on sustainability aspects and how to mitigate the risk of flooding on river banks, and manage the risks of heat and forest fires, especially with the aggravation of these threats due to climate change. One way to address this is by working closely with the landscape architect to determine how much space should be left to address stormwater needs and flood-related issues.
When talking to The construction specifierCooper Robertson’s director of urban design, Brad Barnett, AICP, referenced past projects the firm will draw on to establish a vision for the district.
Barnett discussed a project in Middletown, Conn., that also focused on reconnecting a large riverfront site to the existing city and included incorporating current roads into the plan as well as addressing increased water levels and resilience issues. The project also focused on converting large, large tracts of land into smaller neighborhoods.
Another project the firm worked on was the Battery Park City master plan in New York, which focused on introducing boardwalks and open spaces into a new neighborhood and also introduced a new neighborhood into a district. This experience and information is valuable for the current project.
Project deliverables are expected in the first quarter of 2024 and will take the form of renderings and other graphics that will present an overall picture of the development; and then focus on key areas within the region (such as major intersections) and produce comparison images for the present and potential future of these locations.
