We are excited to announce the opening reception of our newest exhibit, "The Future Central Avenue Bridge," now on display at the KCK Main Library. This showcase highlights the work of the Spring 2025 design studio and features five concepts for the reimagining of the Central Avenue Bridge.

Exhibition Details

Duration: May 12 - June 13, 2025
Location: KCK Library: Main Branch - 625 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS 66101

The Future Central Avenue Bridge: A Vision for Connection

The Future Central Avenue Bridge exhibition invites visitors to explore how design can reimagine one of Kansas City’s vital infrastructural links. The exhibition examines how a bridge can serve not just as a crossing, but as a meaningful civic space, presenting five distinct design concepts developed through a semester-long studio.

Through detailed scale models, in-process drawings, and visual timelines, visitors can trace the evolution of ideas from initial concepts to refined proposals. Each design offers a unique response to the complex technical, spatial, and cultural challenges of the Central Avenue Bridge, which connects Kansas City, Kansas and the West Bottoms. This work builds on research, site analysis, and community dialogue—an exploration shaped by both the physical conditions of the site and the aspirations of the communities it serves. 

We invite community members to engage with these visions, consider their possibilities, and reflect on how thoughtful design might shape the shared future of Central Avenue.

The exhibition remains on view through June 13th—don't miss this opportunity to explore potential futures for the Central Avenue Bridge.

As we approach the end of the semester, all students are currently in full production mode. To destress, our class attended a tour of the Rock Island Bridge. Located in Kansas City, the Rock Island Bridge was originally built in 1905. It was a vital part of the Rock Island Railroad, specifically designed to transport livestock to the city's West Bottoms stockyards.

The bridge was shut down in the 1970s (rail service ceased) 1980 (rail line liquidated. It has high hopes of opening soon in 2025 / 2026 (in time for the world cup.)

Kansas City, Kansas took ownership of the bridge in 2022 to connect its emerging network of levee trails, and to activate the new Kansas Waterfront through this unique, public/private partnership. This bridge will open as a gathering venue with food, bars, and an event space. It was definitely a cool experience and can’t wait to see it back in full use. 

Below are a few renders of the future Rock Island Bridge created by Multistudio.

Last week, our studio had the opportunity to meet with members of the KCK community at Splitlog Coffee Co. to discuss our design proposals for the Central Avenue Bridge. The event offered a great opportunity for feedback and input to further our designs. Each group presented a unique proposal for the Central Avenue Bridge which addressed three key aspects: the overall site and surrounding urban design, the bridge itself, and a focused architectural detail. The community's input allowed us to think more in depth about how the Central Avenue Bridge could impact the community of KCK.

Groups propose designs to KCK community

The site model was brought to the presentation to provide context and orientation to the visitors and show them the bridge as it exists. Teams use their own models and drawings to present their proposals.

Models and Presentation Materials 

Boards and Community Input

One way the students got more in-depth input was through questionnaire boards. These boards had questions that related to the bridge design and the community. With this method, the students were able to gather information about the community's preferences, which influenced their design in a way that benefits the community as a whole.