Virginia Tech – Rosslyn Waterfront
Students at the Virginia Tech Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center were asked to envision what could be done with a new, accessible Rosslyn waterfront. Three programs were developed for students to choose from, each including both a means for arriving and an activity at the site:
- “Bike, Bathe and Beyond” includes a connection to existing bike paths plus some form of bathing
- “Food-Boat Wharf” would provide a place where future food-boats could moor along the river’s edge and sell their delectables to Rosslyn workers
- “Urban Drive-In Theater” might include people coming by foot, bike or car to view movies or other performances
For more information, check out the following news articles as well as each student’s submission:
Ian Hunter – New Causeway
Ian proposed a new causeway for the parkway that encloses a lagoon and allows for more intimate contact with the water. A small stream runs down a narrow ravine and flows into the lagoon, with a protected beach where children can wade in the water and kayakers can launch their boats.
Design Board
Paige Courtney – Natural Swimming Pool
Paige proposed moving the parkway farther inland, cutting into the slope with a large retaining wall that supports a new traffic circle for access to the Key Bridge.
Design Board | Analysis Board
Lauren Habenicht Arledge – Theatrical Landscape
Lauren studied the theatricality of the existing parkway and proposed an elevated stretch, setting up a dramatic view of the Potomac River and Key Bridge. A series of terraces with cascading pools step down to the river’s edge, with numerous opportunities for recreation.
Design Board
Carlin Tacey – A Wilder Roadway Experience
Carlin was inspired by the existing contrast between wild vegetation and the constructed landscape. She proposed a wilder woodland in the parkway medians and developed spaces that would lead people to the waterfront.
Design Board
Will Scott – Showering Under the Parkway
Will relocated the parkway slightly inland, sitting higher on the slope and allowing room for a bathing facility for bicycle commuters. Cyclists would make their way through an ascending set of courtyards to reach the heart of Rosslyn.
Design Board
Runyu Ma – Pop-Up Commercial Bridge Over the Parkway
Runyu proposed constructing a pair of long, thin bridges over the parkway as a continuous pedestrian route linking the Rosslyn commercial district to the river.
Design Board
Charlston Britton – Bridging the Gap – A Boathouse for Rosslyn
Charlston sought to explore and provide a connection between the perceived boundaries of the Rosslyn business district and the Rosslyn waterfront.
Design Board
Jeff Curtis – Waterfront Wilderness Connectivity
Jeff created opportunities for people to experience different scales of wilderness through a network of paths, bridges, and tunnels. This network allows people to experience a variety of forest types and challenge levels.
Design Board | Conditions Board
Richard Hagstrom – River Walk at Rosslyn Waterfront
Richard exposed and reassigned sediment paths for access to the Potomac River waterfront. Existing path language is replicated for cohesion with George Washington Parkway elements.
Design Board #1 | Design Board #2
Jack Gamboa – Rosslyn Bike + Bath
This project is designed as a place of seclusion in the midst of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District. The existing GW Parkway is pushed into the Potomac to create a secluded water channel and clear land for development.
Design Board
Jan Hornig – Rosslyn Congregation Park
Jan envisioned a park that connects the city with the river. The park is designed to combine different uses; restaurants, a bike club, ephemeral shops and others.
Design Board #1 | Design Board #2 | Analysis Board | Renderings
Rebekah Lawrence – The Waterway of Urban Well
This project celebrates the area’s rich topography as a means of guiding people through the movement of water from Rosslyn’s dense urban core to its burgeoning riverfront.
Design Board | Analysis Board
Manting Wang – Boutique Hotel and Bar
Manting tried to find a solution to the broken connection of the Rosslyn business area and the waterfront, also a National Park. A new boutique hotel will be built for performers, the audience and other travelers.
Design Board
Dasha Rosato – Revealing the Invisible
Using harvested stormwater, an urban spring emerges from a wall in a depressed plaza in the center of a traffic island. An urban stream leads people down to the river through a pedestrian tunnel, a plaza and wetlands.
Design Board | Analysis Board | Grading Plan
Suzie Yang – Communal Baths
Suzie’s project featured improvements to Gateway Park. She sees it as a stop for people biking, a communal space with a pool and a personal bathing experience.
Design Board
Tamanna Tiku – Path + Pause
Tamanna aimed to gain an understanding of the physical urban fabric by following the roadway network. The result is a linear transect through the city of Rosslyn that choreographs varied interactions between people and water.
Analysis Board
Sebastian Zaror – Mount Vernon Trail Section
Sebastian’s project is situated in the coastal side of the Mount Vernon Trail facing the Arlington riverside. The goal is to encourage users of the trail to use the project as a station in their commute or exercise regimen throughout the year.
Design Board
Mary Cadwallender – Intersection as Park
Mary engaged existing transportation routes and imagined two new connections from Georgetown; the proposed gondola and a bicycle bridge, allowing for the creation of public park space.
Design Board | Research Board