中城区 | 美国休斯敦 | Design Workshop
Midtown District | Houston, USA | Design Workshop

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中城区-2021年WLA奖得主–城市设计类别成就奖

在巴尤市受到接连不断的飓风和旱灾侵袭之后，人们更加认识到城市韧性的重要性。中城区的转型体现出景观设计师塑造城市形态的能力，即基于景观绩效来提供绿色基础设施效益。通过一系列城市设计指标的出台、11.25英亩的公园和4.55英里的绿道设计，如德克萨斯州首条经过认证的绿道，景观设计师让休斯敦这个曾经被忽视的社区摇身一变成为最著名的多功能模式社区。面对气候变化和海平面上升的问题，这些设计干预为实现更可持续的滨海环境指明了方向。景观设计师所打造的创意空间带来了巨大的经济价值，不仅减少了空置率，增加了物业价值，并在完善基础设施和提升公共空间方面获取了可观的投资回报。随着社区的广泛参与，中城区在保留社会经济多元化特征的同时，让公园和开放空间的可达性更加公平，提升所有城市居民的生活水平。

Midtown District – Winner of the 2021 WLA Awards – Merit Award in the Built – Urban Design category
Repeated hurricanes and droughts have taken their toll on the Bayou City and raised awareness of the need for a more resilient city. The transformation of Midtown demonstrates the ability of landscape architects to shape urban form and to provide the benefits of green infrastructure through a performance-based landscape. The creation of urban design standards, the design of 11.25 acres of parks and 4.55 miles of roadways, including the first certified Green Road in Texas, the landscape architects helped to create Houston’s premier mixed-use, multi-modal district from what was once a neglected neighborhood. In the face of climate change and rising seas, these design interventions point the way to a more sustainable coastal environment.  Through creative place-making, the landscape architects have driven enormous economic value, reducing vacancies, increasing property values, and producing a significant return on investment in infrastructure and improvements to the public realm. With extensive community engagement, Midtown remains a socio-economically diverse neighborhood with more equitable access to parks, open space, and the benefits of urban living for all.





尽管中城区已拥有深厚的历史，得天独厚的区位，创设了税收增量再投资区（TIRZ），以及20年代末期来自伦敦金融城的一些重要投资项目，但中城区仍在努力地挖掘发展潜力。2010年，为了给老社区注入新的活力，中城区建立了宜居研究中心，所开展的项目持续了10多年。我们通过前期分析把现状分为三个“分区”，每个分区在昼夜的不同时间主导不同活动。这些区域被人行道和空地所割裂，行人会感到不安全、不舒服，甚至有危险感。在监管框架修订的指导下，设计团队填补了这些空白，通过一系列关键的空间设计将区域连接起来。设计团队沿着主街布置标志性的灯光，串联起中城最高的建筑，并顺着地铁系统从市中心延伸到 NRG 体育场，突显出中城的身份。巴格比街以独特的材料和城市家具反映出休斯顿作为港口城市的工业特色。中城公园建造了一条水道和集水系统，抽象地呼应着休斯顿的天然海湾、灌木沼泽和洼地森林。巴格比公园中巨大的“中城”标识作为背景，组成全新的城市天际线。

Despite its rich history, an ideal location, the establishment of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), and some signature investments from the City as of the late 2000’s, Midtown was still struggling to meet its potential. What began as a Livable Center Study in 2010 in an effort to breathe new life and redevelopment into the Midtown District has led to over 10 years of implementation projects. Our early analysis identified three existing ‘subdistricts’ that each drew significant activity at various times of day and night. In between these districts were broken pedestrian systems and empty parcels. Walking felt unsafe, uncomfortable, and even dangerous. Aided by changes to the regulatory framework, the design team has filled these gaps and connected the subdistricts through a series of key placemaking moments. Along Main Street, the team introduced iconic lights that march down Midtown’s tallest buildings and reinforce the identity of Midtown along METRO’s light rail system that stretches from downtown to NRG stadium. Bagby Street designed specific materials and furnishings to reflect the industrial character of Houston as port city. Midtown Park constructed a water channel and detention system which abstracts the natural bayous, shrubs swamps, and bottomland forests of Houston. Bagby Park created tall ‘midtown’ letters as a backdrop for unprecedented views of the downtown skyline.







自 2012 年以来，该项目及其附属项目为中城人口50%的增长率做出了贡献。仅巴格比街和中城公园在建成后就获得了超过4.5亿美元的私人投资。通过对综合规划、城市设计。可持续公园和街道设计的精准把控，景观设计师挖掘出公共空间的潜力，鼓励社区、地方政府和私人开发商为此投资。原本由闲置的空地和荒废的停车场组成的中城区，现已成为被绿色绿洲包围的城市生活范本。

These projects and others have contributed to the 50% growth in Midtown’s population since 2012. Bagby Street and Midtown Park alone have generated over $450 million dollars in private investment since construction. With an understanding of comprehensive planning, urban design, and sustainable park and street design, the landscape architect created a vision of the public realm that incentivized support from the community, local governments, and private developers. Midtown, which was largely filled with vacant parcels and underutilized parking lots, has become the model for urban living surrounded by a green oasis.







中城区
地点：美国，德克萨斯州，休斯顿
图片来源：Design Workshop

城市规划和景观设计：Design Workshop
Kurt Culbertson, Claire Hempel, Alex Ramirez, Sarah Delcambre, Alex Hill, Tarana Hafiz, Brian Chambers, Steven Spears*, Rebecca Leonard*, Philip Koske*, Jason Ferster*, Steve Moore*, Mary Martinich*
* 号表示已退出Design Workshop的成员

顾问/合作方
Nelson-Nygaard
Walter P Moore
Knudson
Urban Architecture
Water Design, Inc.
Regenerative Environmental Design
The Goodman Corp
Lionheart Places
RPH

Midtown District
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Image Credits: All provided images from Design Workshop, Inc
Landscape Architecture and Urban Design: Design Workshop
Kurt Culbertson, Claire Hempel, Alex Ramirez, Sarah Delcambre, Alex Hill, Tarana Hafiz, Brian Chambers, Steven Spears*, Rebecca Leonard*, Philip Koske*, Jason Ferster*, Steve Moore*, Mary Martinich*
* no longer at Design Workshop
Consultants/Collaborators
Nelson-Nygaard
Walter P Moore
Knudson
Urban Architecture
Water Design, Inc.
Regenerative Environmental Design
The Goodman Corp
Lionheart Places
RPH