By Bill Kenefick
Special to Inside
The second of two public meetings was held by the Lincoln Park Conservancy to discuss the final designs and plans for the restoration of the Lincoln Park Conservatory on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Dan Purciarello of the Conservancy praised the progress of David Woodhouse Architects that had occurred since the first public meeting was held on Oct. 16. [For a report on that meeting, see insideonline.com and visit the archives of Inside's issue of Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2005.] The architects, consisting of David Woodhouse, Peter Schaudt, Andy Tinucci, and Deb Samyn, were chosen out of a group of 14 submissions. Woodhouse began the presentation of the finalized changes and designs of the conservatory buildings and the exterior grounds.
"The core work is to restore the conservatory to the glory it once had," he said, and to "bring the best out of history."
Landscape architect Schaudt then discussed some of the changes in exterior areas around the conservatory, bringing the plans to life with detailed diagrams and conceptual watercolor paintings. He aimed to "reveal the building in a simple way" by removing some of the exterior foundation planting. He also said he would create more of a "people space" in front of the conservatory by improving the paving, having seasonal planters outside, and creating an oval amphitheater in the north end of the garden.
Other exterior changes included resurrecting the original lily pool, making the promenade wide enough for bikes and joggers, and emphasizing a north face to the building.
Woodhouse spoke proudly of designing the new conservatory building with 2/3 public space, as opposed to the current 1/3 public space. He described installing a new ramp inside the conservatory to make the entire building accessible to the people with disabilities, building a new show house for the four annual display shows, introducing a retail component to the building, and adding new and revamped bathrooms.
One of the more emphasized changes was an addition of a multi-purpose space on axis with the palm house. It would be designed for special events, weddings, and parties, and would be adjacent to a newly built cafe near the Lincoln Park Zoo entrance.
Also, for the first time the conservatory would be completely permeable and accessible by the public, primarily due to a courtyard running north and south through the center of the building.
Tinucci discussed the changes to the propagation houses. The aim is to make them more efficient and as sustainable as possible. "These buildings are living buildings," he said.
The new propagation houses are designed to be more geothermal, "using the Earth's temperature to make heating and cooling the building easier."
"It's too early to tell a time frame [for construction]. It's a slow and painstaking process because it's really delicate work," Woodhouse said.
This master plan is an extension of the Conservancy's ongoing efforts to improve the Lincoln Park Conservatory. Its members believe in community input, protecting green space and the environment, promoting safety, and planning for the future of a more beautiful Lincoln Park.
In August, the Chicago Park District's Board of Commissioners voted to enter into a five-year agreement with the Lincoln Park Conservancy, which will allow the non-profit group to continue to raise additional funds to further the preservation, restoration, improvement, management, and operation of Lincoln Park using the Lincoln Park Framework Plan as a guide. The formal agreement cements the positive relationship the conservancy has had with the park for the last 21 years. |
