Like most other major international metropolises, Chicago has more or less consumed the natural landscape around it. For a city that used to take pride in its "Urbs in Horto" (City in a Garden) motto, this Horto in Urbs project is quite fitting for the contemporary state of the urban environment.
Matt Hutchinson and Brandon Pace of Sanders Pace Architecture developed a pragmatic submission for the McCormick Place Redux Competition, opened by the Chicago Architectural Club. The duo has given the existing public square a complete facelift to provide a plaza with gardens and trees, covered by two additional levels above.
The top tier seems to cantilever over the vast lot, grounded along one edge by a grassy man-made hill. Horto in Urbs may be considered historically backwards, but it does well to bring green space back into the now very dense urban jungle.
Multilevel Urban Landscapes
Horto in Urbs Reverses the City to Greenspace Ratio
Trend Themes
1. Multilevel Urban Landscapes - Utilizing multiple levels in urban landscapes to maximize green space and address the issue of diminishing natural landscape in major cities.
2. Horto in Urbs - Creating horticultural urban environments as a way to reverse the city to greenspace ratio and promote a more sustainable and livable urban environment.
3. Urban Jungle Revival - Reviving green space in dense urban environments to enhance quality of life and reconnect residents with nature.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture and Design - Opportunity for architects and designers to develop innovative solutions that incorporate multilevel urban landscapes and horticultural elements into urban planning and development projects.
2. Urban Planning - Opportunity for urban planners to reimagine cityscapes by incorporating multilevel urban landscapes and horticultural features to create sustainable and nature-filled urban environments.
3. Environmental Conservation - Opportunity for environmental organizations and activists to advocate for the preservation and creation of multilevel urban landscapes as a means to address the loss of natural landscapes in cities and promote biodiversity.