Ex2 The Steel Yard by Klopfer Martin Design Group, Cambridge, MA

Project Credit:

Client: The Steel Yard, Providence Rhode Island

Landscape Architect: Klopfer Martin Design Group, Cambridge,MA

Environment Engineering:  EA Engineering, Science+ Technology,Warwick,Rhode Island

Civil Engineering + Permitting: Morris Beacon design

Structural Engineering: Structures Workshop, Inc.

General Contractor: Catalano Construction

Landscape Contractor : MON

Volunteer Planting Day Partner: Groundwork Providence + Trees 2020 Program

The mission of The Steel Yard is act as a catalyst in the creative revitalization of the industrial valley district of Providence, Rhode Island. In fostering the industrial arts and incubating small business, the Corporation seeks to cultivate an environment of experimentation and a community strengthened by creative networks.  

The Steel Yard is located in Olneyville, a blighted neighborhood of Providence characterized by abandoned and contaminated industrial lots which is along the Woonasquatucket River.  Remediating and redeveloping brownfields in Providence’s Industrial Valley is an essential strategy outlined in the City’s Master Plan to revitalize these depressed communities. Projects such as the Steel Yard redevelopment are rebuilding community pride, enhancing access to open space and the river, and providing economic and educational opportunities.

The crucial goal of this project was to retain the ecological and visual feature of 'urban wild' in keeping with its surrounding. It is a showcase for regenerative design in a tough environment. This project is a public intervention that shows the potential for real, actively engaged reuse. The Steel Yard's landscape for learning includes the non-profit's mission through stromwater management, creative remediation and placemaking.

There are three industrial buildings exist on the site, which are One Sims Avenue, a two-story brick building; 27 Sims, a two-story brick office building; and the Long Building. Five sets of overhead gantry cranes. Those crans are working and were incorporated into the project, which give the site its unique character. The buildings and cranes were designated historic landmarks by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission.

A primary central space is a required open space, which allows for individual and group work, car rallies, farmer’s markets and so on. This is surrounded by secondary work spaces, like spill-out shop spaces, an outdoor foundry, a ‘hang-out’ space for movie nights and relaxation, and a future visiting artist’s studio (each ~1000-2000 sf). Tertiary service spaces include storage for raw materials and finished art pieces, a paved space serving incubator businesses and artists in shipping container studios, and 20 parking spaces.

"Sophisticated and visually rich. It truly broadens the definition on what can be beautiful. The landscape architects stayed true to its purpose. It feels so appropriate. Every sectional move is related to the ground conditions. It’s the next generation of Gasworks Park, it not only explains how they deal with post-industrial artifacts, but how they deal with sustainability.  "                                           

                                                      —2011 Professional Awards Jury

There are many activities happens in The Steel Yard. Making Steel, free industrial art classes, wedding, glass casting, jewelry making and so on. The Steel Yard is set up as a nonprofit corporationand its influence is spreading. It is an industrial site which change into a campus without losing its unique feature, which help to remember the site's history. The Victorian style let people remeber the modern movement in architecure.

Sources:
The Steel Yard, 2011 ASLA Professional Awards.http://www.asla.org/2011awards/183.html

Compell, Robert. " An Abandoned Steel Mill on A Toxic Site Is Transformed into A Home for A Rich Variety of Arts and Crafts-including, Once Again, Steelmaking." Landscape Architecture. 2011.12: 84-93.