The Grand River has long-defined this corner of the Great Lakes region and the lives of all those who have ever called it home. The history of Owashtenong (the Grand River) is embedded in the area’s indigenous origins, the Rapids themselves once marked centuries of human settlement and the river and its surrounding forest since shaped the industrial past that led to the growth of the city of Grand Rapids.In the future, the Grand River Corridor will once again be fundamental in shaping new opportunities for the city of Grand Rapids.In order to succeed in the future, the river and its many assets must be shared by every member of the Grand Rapids community and truly be a ‘River for All’.

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Along with the consultant team, VIRIDIS Design Group created a pop-up parklette during Grand Rapids' ArtPrize event as a way to playfully engage the community in the design process. Suspended over the river on a high-traffic bridge, visitors learned ang gave feedback on proposed designs for public space, circulation between pedestrians and vehicular traffic, and habitat restoration. Input from the event was used to create design-guidelines that work to transform the Grand River from an underutilized and disconnected river and trail system into an integrated, universally accessible, community asset.

DETAILS

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Completion Date: September 2018

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