The Downtown Atlanta master plan addresses a range of topics to help the Downtown community thrive. Led by the City of Atlanta, in collaboration with Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. (CAP), the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID), and their partners, the plan advocates for land use changes, transportation improvements, investments in open space and the public realm, and a range of policies and programs that together will unlock real estate and economic development potential in support of a more vibrant, livable, and equitable Downtown.

Through participatory public engagement events, Stoss led the team in designing a framework for restoring the forest in the center of the city to improve air and water quality, create shade, and add beauty to downtown. Building the urban forest through a combination of strategies that amplify under-performing open spaces, integrate green infrastructure and storm-water management into streets and parks, create places to play, and provide a sense of continuity that welcome people to a downtown that is as green and lush as it is active, can play a vital role in re-making Downtown into a thriving center. Smaller underused concrete plazas and MARTA stations become vibrant and fun backyards for new residents and serve as destinations for visitors while their larger counterparts become places for people to enjoy sports or large city-wide events. Blank swaths of land along and between highways, as well as one-way lanes of traffic that go un-used, will be re-inhabited with vegetation to handle local and regional stormwater and ultimately contribute to the holistic vision of Downtown Atlanta as the 'City in the Forest.'

The approach of multiple small strategies repeated and adapted to local conditions is combined with a larger green network through downtown that provides safe circulation and connects to Atlanta's iconic BeltLine and adjacent forested neighborhoods. Gateways into downtown from surrounding areas re-appropriate unwelcoming intersections with vegetated and illuminated overpasses, green street connectors, bridge overlooks, and a multi-use bridge that serves as a grand entrance into Downtown demonstrating the city's commitment to new innovative public space strategies, technology, and sustainability.

client

City of Atlanta

location

Atlanta, GA

TEAM

Stoss