RAILROAD PARK TOM LEADER STUDIO - MANY CITIES HAVE A RIVER AS THEIR FUNCTIONAL PORT AS WELL AS THEIR CONNECTION TO NATURE AND THE LARGER WORLD ...
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RAILROAD PARK
MANY CITIES HAVE A RIVER AS THEIR FUNCTIONAL
PORT AS WELL AS THEIR CONNECTION TO NATURE
AND THE LARGER WORLD.
TOM LEADER STUDIO
BIRMINGHAM HAS THE RAILROAD.
2 3
RAILROAD PARK
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
TOM LEADER STUDIO 1015 CAMELIA STREET, CONTENTS 8 RAIL + COMMUNITY + NATURE
BERKELEY, CA 94710 10 INTRODUCTION
510.524.3363 12 TRAINS
www.tomleaderstudio.com
16 PLANNING
24 SITE DESIGN
32 THE PARK
36 TRAINFRONT PARK
44 TOPOGRAPHY
52 EAST GATE
62 MATERIAL
70 LIVING ROOM
4 5
RailRoad Park Aerial Image in Phase 2 6 7
RAIL + COMMUNITY + NATURE
These were the fundamental elements in the birth of a city.
Birmingham’s story begins in this very place where rail
infrastructure begets community development. The historic
Railroad Reservation was created to bring together iron
ore, limestone, and coal, the critical elements in steel
production, and industry became the primary organizing
element for the early city.
8 9
Steel Workers at Sloss Furnace. 1910 Sloss Furnace
INTRODUCTION Originally a steel town, Birmingham grew around with lasting effects on its culture. Birmingham and suburban migration as well as the ability to in general. Important civic projects were typically much firmer footing and led to identifying the
an extensive network of rail lines and two large experienced the same flight to the suburbs as organize and get significant things done. Much the result of strong “actors” such as former Mayor Railroad Park site as a key “civic living room”
steel furnaces. The Sloss Furnace, Alyce Furnace, many other American cities in the late 60’s and has depended on the talent and enlightenment Richard Arrington who was able to accomplish the uniting the northern and southern halves of the
and an 11 track rail corridor connecting them 70’s, which left many parts of the downtown of the “actors” at any given time. Until recently, Civil Rights Institute and Park within the downtown downtown.
served the steel-making industry and provided the retail and office core vacant or underutilized. the City has lacked a strong body of policy or during the 80’s, a key step in coming to terms with
“lifeblood” to sustain the early city. In the early These factors contributed to a sense there that “roadmap” particularly regarding sustainable Birmingham’s past. Recent planning direction
1960’s the city became a civil rights battleground there was much to overcome in terms of history landscape infrastructure or civic growth priorities under recent Director, Bill Gilchrist established a
10 11
Active Railways in the Park
TRAINS Long lines of rail cars roll through town on this weekends, bridges over the rail corridor are lined “Rail Trail”. While Birmingham lacks a regional
elevated platform at a slow speed creating a with residents spotting trains in the same way geographic element like a river or bay around
24 hour low rumbling ambience similar in their bird watchers pursue their hobby. which to orient, it does have the Rail. The new
own way to the fluid energy of a river. Three to park embraces these trains and their historic
four simultaneous trains will sometimes pass in A decision was made to avoid using trains and presence by instead creating a “Trainfront Park”.
opposite directions and well as overtake each rail as a thematic “flavor”, but instead as a direct
other, creating a large scale industrial ballet. On experience for park visitors via the newly created
12 13
As the city enlarged and diversified, business and
residential activity moved further from the Railroad.
Important nodes of government, finance, culture,
education, and housing developed.
DOWNTOWN BALL PARK
UAB MEDICAL CENTER
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
INTERMODAL STATION
WAREHOUSE
DISTRICT
DOWNTOWN
FUTURE CULTURAL
FURNACE AREA AL POWER
Emerging from a decade’s worth of planning northern and southern halves of the city. The While undulating topography structures the the newly constructed Children’s Hospital. 17th the park as well as amphitheater arrival and
work by the City was a consensus that a major park could serve to make this emerging area of park’s vertical dimension, it is also overlaid by Street becomes a key pedestrian link south of the ticketing. All important announcements and
downtown park on this site would help organize the downtown more habitable for new residents extensions of the urban street grid. The park’s park bringing the rapidly growing new population civic events seem to now to find their home at
and stimulate growth in the southern half of and generate value and incentive for future primary entry point is the 17th Street plaza which to the main arrival point in the park. The 17th the 17th Street Plaza.
the downtown and provide new identity based development – the keystones of open space as terminates a developing pedestrian corridor street plaza extends much deeper into the park,
on open space rather than structures – a new an “urban catalyst” extending five blocks south into the University forming it main urban gathering space. The plaza
civic gathering space on the seam between the of Alabama Medical District and also reaching collects and organizes the diverse activities of
14 15
PLANNING
The 19-acre site is the first increment in what will be a
20 year effort to transform the entire area between
the two original furnaces that were once reserved
for rail. What was once a divide in the city will become
a unifying element much same as riverfront parks are
doing in other cities. Also similar to many other cities,
acquiring rights to existing vacant lands belonging
to rail authorities will be key.
By far the largest issue we had to deal with was that
somehow this park was supposed to bridge the north
and south areas of downtown. I kept thinking to
myself, ‘I don’t understand how we can possibly
accomplish that...’
16 17
CITY OF BIRMINGHAM
SITE AREA
At each consultant visit numerous informal
briefings, public workshops, and a formal
town hall meeting were held, bringing as many
interested residents as possible to the table. In
a very real way, the program for the park and
district was derived directly from an intensive
series of public workshops aimed at this goal.
18 19
A vision for
RailRoad Park.
Master Plan Design Process
20 21The completion of RailroadPark
merely established the setting for
connections to happen between
the citizens of Birmingham.
A key future initiative of the park planning go out of service. The southern half is a city in a mixed use project focusing on creative
involves land to the east, lying between parking lot. At the persistent urging of the park work, art, food, and business propagation. The
Railroad Park and Sloss Furnace. The most designer, these joint parcels are together being current initiative called “Prize to the Future”
immediate plans are for the land directly facing considered for a major creative and cultural and sponsored by the Birmingham Community
the park across 18th Street. The northern half facility – the “Cultural Furnace” which will join Foundation, is currently in the process of
of this strategic parcel is currently occupied private developers with local planners to create deciding the development team.
by an elegant old brick steam plant soon to an iconic marriage of old and new structures
22 23SITE DESIGN Historically, the park site was the lowest area in from the immediate watershed and to provide the central means of organizing the park and entire park tilts toward the south where water is
ANALYSIS AND PROCESS the city, originally home to a marsh that was filled emergency flood protection during periodic structuring these water flows. What was collected and then flows west toward a major
for construction of warehouses, brickyards, and heavy rains that can plague the city’s storm previously a flat site was completely altered. flood storage pond at the site low point.
rail sidings. The new design of the park reclaims infrastructure. The south side of the site was excavated
some of this history in making use of water for for a new lake and stream system and the
the project. The park’s low elevation within the For these reasons along with the fact of a lean excavated material was pushed north to
city also makes it a logical place to store water recession-era budget, topography became create a series of knolls. Consequently the
24 25“...the project was exceptionally well grounded
in the city’s residents and we ended up with a
design that spoke of railway plus a community
plus nature.”
Presenting ideas to Mayor Kincaid
RESTAURANT. KIOSK. AMPHITHEATER. BATHROOM. ART. SCULPTURE. EDUCATIONAL FACILITY. COMMUNITY MEETING ROOMS. CAFE. WATER FEATURE. STEAM, FOG, FOUNTAIN, WATER. VISTA /OVERLOOK. OBSERVE TRAINS. INTERACTIVE ART. WADE POOL. REFLECTING POOL. OUTSIDE MOVIES. MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITY
/ PAVILIONS. AUCTIONS. RR MUSEUM. POLICE SUBSTATION. BUNGEE TOWER. ARTISAN SPRING SCULPTURE. WAITING AREA. SHADE STRUCTURE. RENTAL BIKES. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. WAITING AREA. SHADE STRUCTURE. RENTAL BIKES. PUBLIC FACILITIES. BATHROOMS. DRINKING FOUNTAINS. GAZEBO. FARMERS
MARKET PAVILION. EXTENSION OF ART MUSEUM. GREENHOUSE. ZOO. PETTING FARM. CLANTON TRAIN. PUMPKIN PATCH. AQUARIUM. CLIMBING WALL. VIRTUAL TRAIN. CAROUSEL. MARKET. WAYFINDING SYSTEM. ELEMENT IN PARK THAT SIGNALS ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE. VET. MODEL RAILROAD. SEATING AREA. CHESS PARK.
SPORTS FIELD. DOG PARK. ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND. GREEN OPEN SPACE. MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS. KIDS PARK. FESTIVAL GROUND. BMX BIKE TRACK. SKATEBOARD PARK. FRISBEE. BASEBALL. TENNIS. BASKETBALL. RUGBY. RIDING. GAMES. TRACK FIELD. MAZE. WIRELESS INTERNET ZONE. PICNIC AREA. INSTALLATION
PARK. SCULPTURE GARDEN. PARKING. BOTANICAL GARDEN. GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. READING. SLEEPING. MEDITATION. FESTIVAL GROUND STAGES FOR CONCERT, THEATER, MOVIE. CRAWFISH BOIL. FARMERS MARKET. VENUES FOR EVENTS. FOOD. ENTERTAINMENT. VENDORS & STREET PERFORMERS.
26 27BRIDGE
FOUNDATION
FILL
EXCAVATION
EXCAVATED MATERIALS
Excavated Brick Gabion Wall Generating topography and hydrology
As recycled industrial land, the park site was foundry sand within the soil, the ground was alive and functioning. Staggered granite curbs
heavily underlain by old paving materials, assorted not reliably stable without major reinforcement. form stable, scour-resistant steam edges, and
rubble and detritus, and layers of steel-making Steel gabions were used for nearly all site walls, cobbles were used for lake edge aprons and
by products often dumped on the site. This both for their flexibility and for cost. They were to create a large shallow paved bowl as a plaza
material included old and broken bricks, street then packed with suitable reused site materials, feature, filled with River Birch trees and irrigated
cobbles, granite curbs, discarded rails that were primarily old bricks and limestone chunks from with erratically timed pop-up sprinklers as an
incorporated into the design. Due to lenses of steel-making helping to keep the site’s past both inexpensive fountain.
28 29RAIL TRAIL FILL
EXCAVATED STREAM BED
SKATEBOWL
REINFORCEMENTS
Skate Bowls North Stair
30 31THE PARK
This 19-acre urban park occupies the seam historically
created by a major 15’ high rail viaduct that bisects the
downtown. The park is formed by a new topography
that carves the site for a lake and stream, providing
flood protection and biofiltration. A range of knolls
allows viewers to experience the train traffic first
hand, creating a “trainfront” park. Land forms also
give shape to a range of festival and performance
spaces in this food and music-loving city.
32 3321
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16
14
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12
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5
4
22
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Movie Night in the Park
1 CRAWFISH BOIL STAGE 7 POND 13 LAKE 19 AMTRAK STATION
2 LAWN TERRACES 8 TODDLER PLAY 14 RAIL TRAIL BRIDGE 20 CULTURAL FURNACE PROJECT
3 WEST GATE PLAZA 9 RAIL TRAIL 15 WETLAND 21 DOWNTOWN
4 POND 10 STROLLING GARDENS 16 AMPHITHEATER 22 DOWNTOWN BALL PARK
5 STREAM 11 GREEK THEATER 17 EAST GATE PAVILION (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
6 SKATE BOWLS 12 BIRCH BOWL 18 INTERMODAL STATION
34 35“The park would serve to bridge the north
and south parts of downtown and function as
a core amenity for the office, retail and housing
development that would happen throughout
the area.”
Rail Trail Bridge
TRAINFRONT PARK The lake creates a major reservoir on site for air Eastgate Pavilion was positioned to receive surrounding knoll and amphitheater topography from slowly rotating color LED lights at night scenery of these otherwise overlooked structures
summer irrigation needs, preventing the need to breezes across the water making the park and forms the headwaters of the system. This forms an inspiring and provocative composition
draw on city water supplies. It is recharged in the more habitable on the hot summer days that wetland then spills through runnels into the first The lake also plays a key role in urban scenography that leaves a memorable impression of the city.
summer both by rains within the park watershed normally send Birmingham residents fleeing for of two interconnected lake cells. Lake water is as it creates a flattering visual ground and reflecting Many park visitors comment that “downtown
as well as on-site well when necessary. The air conditioning. Lake fringes are also planted pumped to the handrail of a crossing pedestrian surface for the downtown towers beyond as well never looked so good”.
presence of this large body of water brings a with bio-filtration wetlands. A wetland pond at bridge, creating a dramatic, cooling rain curtain as the powerful red stacks of the historic brick
cooling presence to the downtown. The open- the east end of the park collects runoff from the fifteen feet high and eighty feet long which glows steam plant adjacent the park. The borrowed
36 37Rail Trail Bridge 38 39
“The rail trail really helps visitors understand
what Birmingham is about and where it
came from.”
Active trains roll through the park Looking South toward UAB Medical Center
40 41“People really like the trains here. It’s their main regional
orientation device. There’s no bay, there’s no river, no large
scale natural element, so the city is still oriented to the
railway and it even becomes a pastime.”
Rain Curtain Overlook Rain Curtain Bridge
42 43“...it is interesting in its own right to see
how inexpensive generated topography
as a design tool is, but how unbelievably
permanent it becomes.”
The Knolls
TOPOGRAPHY For reasons of a lean recession-era budget as well generally tilt the entire site toward the south. The
as design, topography became the central means site’s low elevation makes a logical place to store
of accomplishing this and organizing the park. water from the immediate watershed and to pro-
The south side of the site was excavated for a vide flood protection.
new lake which functions as an irrigation reservoir
and a stream system which biofilters runoff and
the north side was built up into a series of knolls
44 45Reflections in the lake Streams to play in
The stream system begins at a lake spillway flows approximately four inches deep. On hot
and descends westward across the park days many people are found with their feet in the
pooling several times and is threaded around water under the shade of the river birch groves.
islands as it goes. During the winter is carries Flocks of children frequently wade the length of
significant storm flows and in the summer water the steam, splashing and getting soaked. The
is pumped from the terminal pond back to the stream creates the most popular and significant
lake and recirculated as a fountain feature that children’s play feature in the park.
46 47The streams and ponds perform several key
functions – to collect and vegetatively biofilter
run-off before it enters the city storm system,
to store large amounts of run-off in storms to
protect against area flooding, and to naturally
irrigate the soils of the stream corridor filled with
riparian tree groves and emergent plantings.
48 49Rain Curtain 50 51
East Gate Plaza East Gate Arrival Signage
EAST GATE At the entry plaza there was a clear need to the park’s main entry plaza, fronting the lake. shelter. The tall canopy frames the “east gate”
help orient arriving visitors and to provide Each “boxcar” end facing the plaza can be views to the park, lake, and open space to the
shelter from the elements. The Eastgate Pavilion opened and closed with folding hangar door west as well as views east to the steam plant
accommodates space for park food service, that creates an awning in the “up” position. and downtown.
concessions, administration, rest rooms, and An industrial-scale metal roofed canopy in
storage. These functions are housed in a series the form of a trainshed extends the entire 220
of four wooden “boxcars” along the edge of feet of the plaza length to provide sun and rain
52 53We decided to create gateway plazas at each This idea allowed us to break the park down into
of the streets that intersect the park blocks, all structured zones that can be used separately or
based on the urban grid and with the idea that combined as one larger open space.
they would draw a fair amount of retail activity
and create a populated corridor that would feed
directly into the park.
54 55Public Market
The Eastgate Plaza is the “headquarters” of
the park – where every big event is staged and
people collect before heading into the open
spaces and where they later return for food and
drink, shade and conviviality.
56 57(left diagram) “Bivouac Baby”, public art proposal Promenade East-West
Running east-west, the Powell Street Promenade access. This same east-west corridor extends framed by shade tree “islands” which project into move at slow speeds up and down the corridor
bisects the park east-west. This was also made beyond the park to structure future connections the adjacent lake, and by display gardens filled creating a linked series of experiences for visitors
necessary by the presence of major utility lines within the planned Railroad Reservation Park with seasonal crops as well as perennial herbs and tourists.
and existing rail easements in the old street right Distract along this existing ROW extending 10 and cut flowers. The Promenade is also planned
of way. This linear connector helps facilitate blocks east to Sloss Furnace, a National Historic to be the home for a seasonally changeable “art
ingress and egress of large crowds rapidly as well Landmark preserving Birmingham’s steel-making vehicle” based on parade float technology. The
providing emergency vehicle and maintenance heritage. Within the park, the promenade is vehicle will be ride-able, provide shade, and
58 5960 61
MATERIAL In the late 19th century the site was filled with the infill arranged thematically according to bricks fill other gabions that are the base for
large amounts of rubble and assorted urban and source and time period. A surface is created park benches as well as the structured edges
rail detritus to create dry space for warehouses. for seating by clipping molded safety-yellow in the amphitheater grading. Cobbles from the
During excavation, these materials were sorted, fiberglass grating to the top. Along with old streets were re-used to pave the birch grove
inventoried, and stockpiled for use as gabion recycled curbs, TLS used limestone debris from and create a textured transition into the lake.
infill. Due to budget as well as concept, all site the reservoir excavation to fill gabions that line
walls are constructed of these gabions with more structured edges of the lake. Recycled
62 63The reuse of unearthed, hand-cast bricks is
a special element to many locals as these
historic artifacts were hand made by many of
Birmingham’s ancestors. The gabions act as
living vitrines to showcase these reminders of
Birmingham’s past.
64 65Kids love to play at Railroad Park.
Opportunities for children to connect with nature the urban fabric where children can interact with
are becoming precious and rare within our urban clean, flowing water and play outside in safe
environments. This newly constructed landscape public open spaces.
is not only ecologically performative by design,
but also serves as a safe space within
66 6768 69
Festival at the Park Crunk Fitness! One of many weekly activities held by Get Healthy on the Railroad, BCBS
LIVING ROOM Birmingham is home to many different festivals Various other events hope to include City activated by music, parties and rumbling inspired exercise classes such as Zumba as
and large scale music parties. The best known Stages where 7 different venues operate trains. Two distinct spaces are created by the well as yoga and tai chi during the day.
party being the annual Crawfish Boil, where simultaneously and the Sidewalk Film Festival boxcar sequence - a day to day dining space
40,000 people will gather in the park for two where there will be multiple film screenings with movable tables and chairs and a larger
days to hear bands, drink beer, and eat fried for a week are all accommodated. If some space with higher ceiling for big events and
food. The Alabama Symphony will also have its parks provide a “living room for the city”, this parties next to the lake. This larger space has
summer home in the 3,000 seat amphitheater. park is more the rumpus room, continually become the nightly home of rhythmic dance-
70 71Break ‘N Bread
Food and Wine Event
Bike Repair Lessons | Break ‘N Bread Food and Wine Event ( right ) Theater in the Park
The realization of this long-discussed park at the west end. At the east end, a developer design
dramatically reversed civic pessimism within the competition for the “Cultural Furnace” is underway.
public. It has deeply inspired the city to believe it Even more important, the park has become the
can continue to regenerate itself. Since Railroad most racially integrated and heavily-used space in
Park has opened, it has given rise to the design the entire city. A new civic sense has emerged at
construction of a minor league ballpark, (retrieving Railroad Park that every person feels welcome and
the historic Birmingham Barons from the suburbs!) feels open to meeting new people.
72 73The gathering masses for Bromberg’s Diamond Dash (bottom left) | Cyclists Gather Before a Race (top left) | Zumba Class in the Park (right) Earth Day in the Park
Railroad Park not only provides the necessary around the park perimeter because the lawns
open space, walking trails, and recreational and plazas makes a great space for all types of
spaces for the residents of Birmingham, but fitness classes, yoga, tai-chi, even hula-hooping.
the park also actively reaches out through
weekly exercise classes, and engaging outdoor
recreational events. In a city of barbecue,
fitness center start-ups are sprouting up all
74 75Fitness Bootcamp
The Rail Trail connects the topographic knolls experiences. On any given day the park loops
together with a series of bridges to create a are heavily populated with people of sizes and
continuous elevated train-watching platform speeds hustling along to better health.
and exercise circuit with many access ramps
and stairs along its length. One large loop
and a series of smaller interconnecting loops
allow endlessly varied running and walking
76 77Skaters especially love the skatebowls on the south side. 78 79
Most importantly, the park has become the most
racially integrated and heavily-used space in the entire
city. Thankfully, every person feels welcome here.
80 81Birch Bowl
The response to this project has been overwhelm- Perfect strangers congratulated one and other on
ingly positive. In an article in the Birmingham the fact that the park was now a reality.
News, writer Webb Lyons, reported that on his first
visit to the park people couldn’t contain their plea- Mr. Lyons said it best: “perhaps it’s real beauty lies in
sure. While standing on the bridge overlooking the what I experienced -- that it can connect us, to our
park one woman exclaimed, “Has downtown ever community and to each other.”
looked so good?”
82 8384 85
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PROJECT CREDITS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ASSOCIATE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
TOM LEADER STUDIO MACKNALLY LAND DESIGN
TOM LEADER
AKIKO ONO ASSOCIATE ARCHITECTS
SARA PESCHEL KENNEDY VIOLICH ARCHITECTS
KATHRYN DRINKHOUSE GA STUDIO
GABE MEIL HKW ASSOCIATES
ROMAN CHIU
CIVIL ENGINEER
ARCHITECTURE WALTER SCHOEL ENGINEERING
TOM LEADER STUDIO KHAFRA
TOM MCMILLAN
PAUL BURGIN
IVAN VALIN
PHOTO CREDITS PHOTOGRAPHERS FLICKR
MARION BRENNER FREETHEHOPS
HILARY GAMBLE DYSTOPOS
HEATHER DURHAM DORIBOYD
SYLVIA MARTIN BRADLEY NASH BURGESS
NATE DREGER ARGUSFOTO
MILLER MOBLEY ANDYBZ
JEFF NEWMAN DANAMCGOUGH
JASON MCKAY
SHAWN ARNOLD
BOOKLET DESIGN TOM LEADER STUDIO
TOM LEADER
LARYSSA STECYK
SONSA DESIGN
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