Hybrid Drawing

Hybrid drawing of existing conditions on site emphasizing the natural rhythm.

Site Connectivity

Grid Influence_Density

Grid Influence_Function

Rhythm + Speed Diagram

Demonstrates how rhythm and speed are translated into organizing structures for the nursery grid as well as path types and functions.

Path Types

Grid + Circulation + Topography

Plant Phasing Axon

Community Edge Section

Existing/Nursery Overlay Section

Bridesburg Nursery Park

Site: Bridesburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Studio Critic: Karen M'Closkey
PennDesign Spring 2014

The development of an 80-acre post-industrial site is able to reconnect a neglected neighborhood to Philadelphia while providing valuable outdoor space and thus creating a sense of place in the community. The park is also able to function at a citywide scale. By incorporating a nursery into the park, it is able to grow trees for streets, developing parks, and other various projects. Philadelphia has set a Greenworks goal of planting 300,000 trees by 2015 and the Bridesburg Nursery Park will act as catalyst to help reach this goal. The park provides land to grow large quantities of trees as well as amenity green space to its community. The grid size of trees varies to allow for different types of activities from a range of users. The park takes advantage of the proposed Rails to Trails bike trail that runs along the south end of the site, allowing bikers to access the site. Additionally, the nursery acts to reforest the site as some trees are never removed, eventually creating a gridded forest across the park. Phasing becomes crucial as existing tree groves are augmented, soils are remediated, certain areas are harvested, while others are allowed to grow to maturity.