Title: Plant Riverside District
Location of Proejct: Savannah, Georgia
Project Completion Date: 07/29/2020
Firm Name: Sottile & Sottile
Short Description: Plant Riverside District is a major preservation and urban design project anchoring the northwest corner of Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District. The focal point is the dramatic transformation of the city’s historic power plant and the extension of the city’s historic plan. The new district weaves museum experiences into entertainment, retail, dining and hospitality; proving preservation as an engine for urban growth and economic development while renewing a national treasure.
Architect's Statement: DESIGN PROGRAM:
The 4.5 acre power plant complex, once surrounded by chain link fence and razor wire, formed a physical, social and economic barrier at the northwest corner of the urban core. The site was the city’s original port at the intersection of old West Broad Street, home of the city’s rail infrastructure, and the Savannah River’s shipping channel. This history inspired the development of urban design and architecture that is informed by the site’s industrial past.
Adaptively rehabilitating the historic power plant was among the most ambitious aspects of the project. This fascinating structure reflects over half a century of construction, including the noble masonry industrial architecture of the early twentieth century, and transitioning into the modernist steel frame and factory glass additions that were constructed into the late 1940’s. While all of the architecture of the power plant is compelling, it was a structure never designed for human habitation, but rather to house turbines to power the city; nonetheless its interior generator hall has a cathedral like quality, and an intricate network of lace-like riveted ironwork. Adapting these buildings for a mix of restaurants, retail and hospitality uses while retaining its essential character and spatial grandeur has been one of the greatest tasks of this nine-year effort.
The dramatic expansion of public space and extension of city rights of way to the river was also a significant challenge, though this expansion of outdoor space has yielded significant dividends as the project successfully weathered a global pandemic during its first year of operation.
CONTEXT:
Savannah’s public realm is characterized by timeless materials and generous use of landscape. It is a resource designed to last for centuries. The ratio of public land to private land in Savannah’s Landmark District is 40% to 60%, respectively with 27 parks distributed throughout the city’s compact core. Savannah’s substantial network of public space creates tangible value in the private realm.
Learning from these principles, the design for Plant Riverside District converted a 4.5 acre parcel of land owned by a single entity from being 100% private to over 40% public space. All of the public spaces are built for sustainability and resilience with durable, timeless materials including granite, brick and blue stone and a generous use of trees and landscape, creating an oasis on the river including multiple species of exotic palms.
The Generator Hall in the historic Power Plant has become an extension of the public realm as a grand cathedral-like space with educational exhibits on three levels, all of which are open to the public and interspersed with retail, music and dining opportunities, resulting in a space that blurs the lines between education, hospitality and entertainment.
The Power Plant and 12 additional infill buildings comprise 670,000 square feet, ranging from one-storied riverfront pavilions and kiosks to six-storied mixed-use structures anchoring the site, defining an intricate public realm, and activating its edges. The most significant public space is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Riverfront Park, which completes the northern end of Martin Luther King Jr., Boulevard at the Savannah River.
ADDITIONAL DESIGN PROGRAMMING BACKGROUND:
DESIGNING FOR INTEGRATION:
Complex programmatic layering embraces the complexity inherent in real urban places. It allows for a “mega-project” to be composed of many “micro-projects.” It allows spaces to have multiple unexpected identities. It is enhanced by emphasizing regional and emerging local businesses and provides a full range of scales including small operating footprints to allow a point of entry for businesses that may have limited capitol to invest in a physical space, but which greatly enhance the diversity of the district.
DESIGNING FOR CHANGE:
Investing in an unbreakable Public Realm of the highest quality adds tremendous value to the private realm and its associated uses, building long term resiliency and flexibility. This promotes the creation of real places that can evolve and adapt over time rather than “projects” with a planned cycle of obsolescence. It has allowed Plant Riverside to thrive in the midst of a global pandemic.
DESIGNING FOR DISCOVERY:
The generator hall of the power plant was intentionally designed to be open to the public. It integrates a natural history museum with exhibits on three levels along with retail, galleries and café’s. It has become a living room for the city, where parents bring their children to take in the exhibits, where locals meet, and where pedestrians stroll through just as comfortably as they would a public park or plaza. Opening signature interior spaces to the public and integrating education with entertainment creates a tangible civic contribution to the city.
Plant Riverside District
Category
Design Awards > Adaptive Reuse/Preservation
Description
Plant Riverside District
Savannah, Georgia
07/29/2020
Sottile & Sottile
Winner Status
- Merit
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