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. 

Last week, we had the opportunity to represent KCDC studio at the Spirit of Downtown KC Exhibit, held in the Kay Barnes Grand Ballroom ahead of the Downtown KC Annual Luncheon. This event highlighted more than 40 incredible organizations, businesses, development projects, and cultural arts programs that are shaping the future of our city.

It was a great afternoon of connection and conversation. We truly enjoyed engaging with fellow Kansas Citians and sharing more about KCDC’s mission and our current studio project looking at the Central Avenue Bridge.

A huge thank you to Maya, Spencer, James, and Matt for helping transport the site plan and for doing a great job informing attendees about the studio.