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2004 ASLA Professional Awards

Analysis & Planning Award of Merit

Historic Belle Isle Master Plan, Detroit, MI
Hamilton Anderson Associates, Detroit, MI
Client: City of Detroit, Department of Recreation

An important plan for Detroit. . . Good, complete, overall planning process. . . Effective analysis of material and man-made factors of this unique site. Exciting program developed with many features that will create a very dynamic and successful attraction. . . Sensitive citing of program elements for a development balanced between natural attractions and man-made features. Strong graphic presentation.
2004 Professional Awards Jury Comments

Belle Isle is a magnificent 982-acre island in the Detroit River, near the heart of downtown Detroit. In 1883, Frederick Law Olmsted conceived the plan for Belle Isle Park, employing concepts used effectively in his Central Park plan. Unfortunately, his plan was only partially implemented. The new plan focuses on enhancing the quality of the public realm while identifying stable sources of revenue to support renovations and ensure the park’s long-term viability. It weaves elements of history, environment, and design into a program to improve the public’s experience, to explore appropriate revenue opportunities, to create efficient management and operations practices, and to establish consensus for future direction of the island.

Belle Isle Park (F. L. Olmsted in 1883), just a mile from downtown Detroit, is romanticized in the memories of generations of "Detroiters" who grew up spending leisure time with family and friends in its magnificent setting on the Detroit River. History and fond recollections of a once healthier park became an important element of the planning process, but the primary focus was on finding ways to fuse the natural and urban environments as part of the framework for the future of the island. (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

Social, cultural and environmental issues frequently collide on Belle Isle and become amplified by short-term improvement agendas and predicament based decision making. Thirty-five years of disinvestment, crime, lack of funding, ineffective management, poor maintenance, inadequate facilities and too much traffic overwhelmed the landscape. (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

Analysis found historic buildings and landscapes in distress and basic recreational facilities like pedestrian pathways lacking; expansive roadways dominate the entire landscape and seriously encroach on the use and function of buildings, picnic areas, sensitive woodlands and waterways. The building in this photo (the historic Stable) was lost after completion of the Master Plan report when a car slammed into it and set it afire (part of the structure was salvaged but moved from the island to the collection of reconstructed historic buildings at nearby Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum). (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

While Detroit has more than 5,000 acres of parkland, Belle Isle is often considered the City's only park venue for events, facilities and activities. This existing land-use diagram shows the multitude of functions (generally poor in quality) accommodated on Belle Isle; it is difficult to expect the island to be all things to all people and still function as a healthy park environment. (Design: Hamilton Anderson)

Analysis of the built environment indicates a wealth of cultural resources not used effectively, especially given the strong historic character of Belle Isle as a place. An electronic database helps to manage buildings, monuments and structures while offering recommendations for immediate maintenance/stabilization strategies, adaptive reuse options for character defining buildings currently underutilized or vacant, and suggesting historically appropriate landscape settings to announce and complement them. (Design : Hamilton Anderson)

Twelve consulting firms contributed layers of information in planning the islands future, from crime prevention analysis to a full financial assessment of the island's operations. The summary analysis illustrated here is a tool to communicate the general physical conditions on the island by identifying what would be addressed in the Master Plan. (Design : Hamilton Anderson)

This chart places elements and features for each of the defining "character zones" on the island (Formal, Active and Natural) in context of issues such as maintenance, natural systems, transportation etc. to highlight critical needs based on recommendations from the consulting team. (Graph: Hamilton Anderson)

This chart places elements and features for each of the defining "character zones" on the island (Formal, Active and Natural) in context of issues such as maintenance, natural systems, transportation etc. to highlight critical needs based on recommendations from the consulting team. (Graph: Hamilton Anderson)

The Plan rekindles the spirit of the past while setting a course for the future through sound planning, focused management, wise investing and by clarifying the character-defining roles of Belle Isle Park as a historic conservator, learning center, unique natural environment and family gathering place. (Design: Hamilton Anderson)

The Plan rekindles the spirit of the past while setting a course for the future through sound planning, focused management, wise investing and by clarifying the character-defining roles of Belle Isle Park as a historic conservator, learning center, unique natural environment and family gathering place. (Design : Hamilton Anderson)

The Nancy Brown Peace Carillon, the victim of years of neglect, isolation and vandalization is activated as the gateway for the Cultural Center. Buildings that struggle as visitor destinations on their own (like the island's antique aquarium and conservatory) can be transformed into the heart of the park by using specialty gardens to consolidate and connect the carillon, a new orientation center, conservatory, the maritime museum, art center, aquarium and public greenhouses into a single, unified and powerful attraction. (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

The Nancy Brown Peace Carillon, the victim of years of neglect, isolated and often vandalized is activated as the gateway for the Cultural Center. Buildings that struggle as visitor destinations on their own (like the island's antique aquarium and conservatory) can be transformed into the heart of the park by using specialty gardens to consolidate and connect the carillon, a new orientation center, conservatory, the maritime museum, art center, aquarium and public greenhouses into a single, unified and powerful attraction. (Design : Hamilton Anderson)

The philosophy of the Master Plan adheres not so much to restoring the park as it does to restoring Belle Isle's role as a special part of Detroit and in the lives of Detroiters. This two-sided poster folds into the report or can be mailed and is effective in communicating the park's rich heritage as well as its master planned potential when displayed on bulletin boards in public places like churches, neighborhood recreation centers, schools and city offices. (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

The philosophy of the Master Plan adheres not so much to restoring the park as it does to restoring Belle Isle's role as a special part of Detroit and in the lives of Detroiters. This two-sided poster folds into the report or can be mailed and is effective in communicating the park's rich heritage as well as its master planned potential when displayed on bulletin boards in public places like churches, neighborhood recreation centers, schools and city offices. (Photo: Hamilton Anderson)

"We must make certain that future generations will be able to enjoy this unique public place where the natural environment is respected, where it is still possible to walk leisurely along the beach. We want our citizens to be able to fish along our shorelines or indulge in a peaceful run while watching the sunset over the Detroit and Windsor skylines." Former Detroit Recreation Department Director Ernest Burkeen. (Photo: Glenn Moon)

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