PRUIT T IGOE NOW , ST.LOUIS

Iconic photograph of the widely-televised implosion of second series of buildings on April 21, 1972.

Aerial view, Pruitt-Igoe housing project St. Louis, Missouri, USA, 1954-1976.

At 3:00 pm on March 16, 1972, the St. Louis Housing Authority demolished the �rst of thirty-three high rises of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project through detonation. One month later, the agency demolished a second tower. These highly-publicized and well-documented events were not supposed to usher the end of the notorious housing project, but to foster its rebirth. Instead these incidents would become trauma that has never been resolved for St. Louis, or for the nation.

Rebirth has never arrived...A softball game at Pruitt-Igoe, date unknown.

PRUIT T IGOE NOW , ST.LOUIS Competition

Co-author:Petra Krajčová

Year:2012

G r e e n , T r a n s p o r t & C e n t e r s :

The following charts show the proportion of green areas, transport structures, and centers in St. Louis. In depth investigation, we found that most people live near the parks ( it’s comfort-able and enjoyable). And the most living part of the city are on crossroads of major city routes ( it’s good for business and accessibility ). The city is clearly polycentric. But in the northern part of St. Louis, there are only several weak centers compared to the southern counterpart of the city. The grid structure is same, roads are here as well, but the mixture of di�erent functions and bigger quality parks are missing here.

Walking across the cleared site of the Pruitt Igoe housing project, heading north to Cass Avenue. 1970s. The former site of buildings of the Pruitt Igoe housing project, in 2011.

N

B u i l t - u p & v a c a n t

Pruitt Igoe area is now vacant, same as a lot of parcels northern of Pruitt Igoe. There are even whole blocks without any buildings. But on these vacant sites are already full grown trees. They are a value, which cannot be bought , a value that needs a long time to grow.

D e n s i t y :

We took blocks which are already mostly vacant, and left them for nature. Around these green blocks, we raised a denser area.

Instead of non-e�ective using of area:

we prefer:Higher density city blocks.High quality green parks.

Renovation of block structure Vacant plots transformed into park

Few built-up plots Lot of vacant plots

E x i s t i n g u s a g e o f p l o t s :

P r o p o s a l :

I D E A

R a i n w a t e r m a n a g e m e n t

Harvesting -> Retention -> Filtration -> Storing -> Re-using

Rainwater from nearby streets is harvested .Retention basins reduce storm runo�.Rainwater is �ltered using plants before entering the lake.Water from lake can be re-used for irrigating of the green.

M i c r o c l i m a t e

The body of the park helps to reduce the e�ects of urban heat islands, keeping the microclimate of the area mild.

T e m p e r a t u r e : During hot days heat is absorbed by �ora and the body of the lake. The colder air from the park helps cooling down nearby built up areas.

D u s t : Green is reducing the level of the atmospheric dust.

H u m i d i t y : Water evaporates from leaves and surface of the lake, keeping the air humidity during hot days.

U r b a n f a r m i n g

P r i v a t e : Courtyards can be used for raising a small private vegetable / fruit garden , or breeding hens.

P u b l i c : Public vegetable garden within a park to supplement food sources for low income people.

U s i n g t h e g r i d

Structure of the area is based on time proven St. Louis grid. It’s �exible system which can be used for several functions, and is still a good foundation for creating a city environment.

The built-up blocks shouldn’t be merged! This only leads to creation of blocks, which are o� the scale. Huge block usually mean huge building = o� the human scale. These premises tend to be anonymous, as was the case of Pruitt Igoe project.

P A R K

H o u s e w i t h g r e e n , G r e e n w i t h h o u s e

The city is based on urbanization. But green is also important for comfort living. Therefore we tried to �nd some system of arrangement and control vegetation in a residential installation. We have created a system of overlapping vegetation and buildings.

Smaller houses standing nearby a higher and denser vegetation tend to look smaller in contrast with higher trees. And in contrast, taller buildings against lower trees looks higher and get the metropolitan character.

Yes No

P h a s i n g :

Phase I: Pruitt Igoe - only several big empty parcels, no inhabitants at the timePhase II: Northern of Cass Avenue - lots of small parcels, several tens of dwellings with inhabitants, need a longer time for parcel and dwellings exchange

P r u i t t I g o e c u l t u r a l c e n t r e

In the city as is St. Louis, culture is of importance in everyday life. The Mediatheque is a good solution for putting many cultural activities into one building. There could be the summer theatre, library, chat hall, exhibition rooms, art...The aim is the education of the youth, as well adults and therefore, the creation of some spaces for this purpose (meeting, chatting, discussing rooms,...) Space for learning from history, for �nding new ways for sustainable living in northern St. Louis, as well for trying these possibilities in real life.

C e n t r e o f n e i g h b o r h o o d

Central block of houses lays on grid. Block is divided into two basics part. The western part, closer to the North Je�erson avenue has a more city character. There are shops, market, bakery, cafe, hairdresser, etc. in the parterre. Garages are underground.

Eastern part has more village character, with small park and playground inside. In the buildings itself, there are �ats, some small o�ces, small retirement house, or whatever the residents needs for their life. Roofs have green terraces for rainwater harvesting and for comfort view.

Marketplace

Retirement house

Flats

Flats

FlatsFlats

FlatsFlats

Flats O�cesO�ces

O�cesSquare Cafe

Restaurant

Shop

Bakery

Semiprivate ParkPlayground

P R U I T T I G O E

P e r s p e c t i v e : N e w P a r k a n d C e n t e r o f n e i g h b o r h o o d

N e w c e n t e r :

Every working community need it’s own center. Center, where people can meet, discus, work, shop, relax, drink, watch a movie, etc. Every working center depends on a mixture of functions. Shops, cinemas, marketplaces, cafes and such places are usually somewhere with daily higher concentration of people.

In area of Pruitt Igoe, the place with highest daily concentration of people is next to the schools. So we located a new center right there, next to the school.

It will serve as for the students, as for the newcomers, as for those using the North Je�erson and Cass avenue and those who work in the area.

C u r r e n t s t a t e o f P r u i t t I g o e