Studio Gang Unveils Plans for Memphis Riverfront

Memphis Gang — *Image courtesy Studio Gang*

Today, Chicago and New York-based Studio Gang revealed designs for the Memphis Riverfront Concept, an overhaul of six miles of waterfront along the Mississippi River. The firm proposes splitting the area into five zones and developing them in short-, medium-, and long-term investments, as resources become available.

Studio Gang’s design, which was commissioned by the Riverfront Development Corporation, with support from the Hyde Family and Kresge Foundations, is based on surveys with 4,500 respondents, interviews with stakeholders of Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s riverfront task force, and studies of previous projects on the riverfront. The firm articulated three principles that also guided the design of their plan: fostering pride about the Mississippi, restoring the ecology of and human interaction with the river, and connecting disparate areas of the city with each other and with the river itself.

Renderings released today depict tree-lined elevated walkways, pavilions, wooden seating areas, and even small ponds where children can discover the diverse ecology of the river.

Studio Gang recently completed a series of dome-shaped structures at the National Building Museum, and has also worked for Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and a wave-like skyscraper known as Aqua. The Mayor’s task force plans to assess their designs and select the ideas that best fit the city’s funding and goals.

Danielle Cohen is Architectural Record’s summer 2017 ASME intern, where her responsibilities include conducting story and photo research and assisting editors with breaking stories. She is a New York-based student journalist working towards a bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology with a minor in Art History at Wesleyan University. During the academic year, Cohen edits the Arts section of The Wesleyan Argus and writes freelance for New York Magazine and The Wild Honey Pie.