Landscapes past & urban design The case of Chouteau's Pond in St. Louis
Whalen, John Robert
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/88990
Description
Title
Landscapes past & urban design The case of Chouteau's Pond in St. Louis
Author(s)
Whalen, John Robert
Issue Date
2015-12-08
Department of Study
Landscape Architecture
Discipline
Landscape Architecture
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.L.A.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
st louis
Abstract
Our cities are rich in history and contain both visible and hidden layers of past lives. As designers, we inherit landscapes with complex narratives and existing conditions, all contributing to a palimpsest of urban development. The subject of this thesis is Chouteau's Pond, an artificial body of water that once existed just south of downtown St. Louis. While the pond is long-gone, the site and its story serve as a spatial and cultural reference for a post-industrial city that has undergone tremendous physical and demographic change. With modern development focused on reviving the declining city, the myth of Chouteau's Pond has influenced intentions for contemporary design. The most recent proposal for the site would effectively erase almost all of the existing layers of the past in order to recreate a sanctified image of the former Pond landscape. This thesis analyzes the development of these layers of the past, as well as presents an alternative design drawing from different theoretical perspectives regarding contemporary urban design as well as the idea of designing with history.
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