American motorbike maker Harley-Davidson has selected UK architect Heatherwick Studio to design a public park at its headquarters in Milwaukee.
The project will repurpose the current Juneau Avenue campus into a gree nspace with a central sunken events area called “The Hub”, a circular 272ft-wide ring containing tiered seating, motorcycle driveways, turning circles, parking bays and walkways.
The Hub will be built with 10 types of locally sourced brick, as well as timber and weathered steel.
The park will contain 120 native plant species, including 20 types of trees and 100 of perennials, some of which are sacred to the Forest County Potawatomi.
Over time there are plans to add a market and nature playground.
Heatherwick Studio is working with Milwaukee firm HGA, who will act as architect of record, providing civil engineering, landscape, lighting and technology design.
Initial development of the park is funded by the Harley-Davidson Foundation.
Thomas Heatherwick, Heatherwick Studio’s founder, said: “Our goal is to turn this historic factory land into a public park for the people of Milwaukee. We want to make an exciting community space where people can come together with friends and family and experience the wildness of nature alongside spaces for food, performance and play. The ambition is to highlight and celebrate renewed life in the Near West Side of this very special city.”
Construction on the park is due to begin in 2023 and open to the public in summer 2024.
