An Urban Transformation in Lexington, Kentucky ｜SCAPE + Gresham Smith

项目概述

PROJECT STATEMENT

经过十多年与政府、土地所有者和居民的合作，Town Branch Commons项目以一条变革性的多模式步道，连接了列克星敦的开放空间，连接了农村和城市社区。设计的各个方面都受到当地喀斯特地质和蓝草景观的启发，绵延的绿色景观沿着Town Branch Commons道路蜿蜒前行，将道路淹没，生机勃勃的绿植扩大了城市的树冠面积，升级了城市绿色基础设施，同时通过对市中心道路模式的改造为受保护的自行车道和步行道开辟了空间。

▲多式联运：多式联运步道为城市的非机动交通开辟了额外的空间，该步道系统包括：独立的自行车道、步行道，以及生态绿化带，Multimodal Connectivity: A multi-modal trail carves out additional space for non-motorized transit through the city—with separated bike / pedestrian routes and bioswales © SCAPE & Ty Cole

项目说明

PROJECT NARRATIVE

从列克星敦市中心到费耶特县两侧的农村社区，长达2.5英里的绿色基础设施和多式联运交通相互交织，从更广泛的角度来讲，Town Branch Commons项目堪称城市与县镇之间的公共空间转型。经过十多年的公私合作、投资、迭代设计和参与，本项目在联邦、州和地方各级利益相关者和资助者的帮助下逐渐从萌芽发展到巅峰，堪称美国中型城市规模绿色基础设施项目的典范。

受肯塔基州中部喀斯特地质和本土蓝草景观的启发，从互动水景到标志性的“交叉线”铺路，以及由当地石匠制作的传统石栅栏，石灰岩特征贯穿于本项目设计的几乎每个方面。在更大的范围内，本项目代表了对弹性绿色基础设施的巨大投资—— 除了抑制城市热岛效应外，还大幅扩大了城市的树冠面积，并为城市引入了郁郁葱葱的原生生态湿地。此外，Town Branch Commons还融入到了当地的开放空间网络，连接了北部的遗产步道和Town Branch步道以及和费耶特县的西部区域。

具体来说，本项目连接了城市主要街道与东部历史悠久的黑人社区，并通过Thoroughbred公园和Charles Young公园的新游乐场，为两者之间引入了更为直接的联系，以空间规划的方式为当地争取了更多的公民投资。同时，本项目还改善了市中心与交通枢纽的连接，为没有其他交通选择的居民提供了服务。

▲Town Branch Commons：肯塔基州列克星敦的城市改造：Town Branch Commons是一条变革性的多模式步道，连接了列克星敦2.5英里的绿色基础设施和公共空间，Town Branch Commons: An urban transformation in Lexington, Kentucky: Town Branch Commons is a transformative multi-modal trail linking up 2.5 miles of green infrastructure and public space in Lexington © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲城市与地区相连：本项目与地区交通网络相连，将城市链接到费耶特县的农村社区，形成了长达5.5英里的连续开放空间，Urban & Regional Connectivity: The Commons also bridge into a regional network, connecting to rural communities in Fayette County—in sum, 5.5 miles of contiguous open space © SCAPE

▲重现Town Branch溪的痕迹：循环的水景装置将肯塔基州中部的喀斯特地质带到城市街道景观中，重现了Town Branch溪溪流的痕迹，Tracing Town Branch Creek: Recirculating water features bring the karst geology of Central Kentucky to the streetscape along the former path of Town Branch Creek © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲绿色基础设施：本项目也是一次对当地绿色基础设施的重大投资，项目的落成调节了莱克星顿市中心的雨水径流，并减缓了城市热岛效应，Green Infrastructure: The Commons are also a dramatic investment in green infrastructure—managing stormwater runoff and urban heat across downtown Lexington © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲喀斯特地质：本项目的设计深受当地喀斯特地貌的影响，石灰岩的特征贯穿与选材与设计的几乎每一个方面，Karst Geology: Threading limestone features through nearly every aspect of material design, the Commons are deeply inspired by local karst geology © SCAPE

▲道路剖面：本项目在解决交通拥堵与城市污染方面作出了巨大的贡献，道路剖面的重新规划使得车行道得到了精简，Road Diet: The Commons are part of a larger effort to solve for congestion and pollution, incorporating a “road diet” to slim vehicular streets © SCAPE

▲城市中心：路面铺装参考了Bluegrass地区标志性的交叉线铺装图案与马厩栏杆图案，两种图案在交汇处融合在一起，Civic Centerpiece: Signature paving references the cross-hatch of limestone and horse fences found across the Bluegrass region, dissolving across intersections © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲蓝草之带：本项目为莱克星顿带来了一条当地蓝草景观带，堪称是对该州独特生态和文化历史的一封情书，Ribbon of Bluegrass: Bringing a ribbon of native Bluegrass landscapes into Lexington, the Commons are a love letter to the state’s unique ecology and cultural history © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲直达列克星敦：遗产步道和Town Branch步道的关键性连接创造了一条直达列克星敦的路线，刺激了城市边缘的公民投资，Reaching into Lexington: Key connections to the Legacy and Town Branch Trails create a direct route reaching into Lexington, spurring civic investments at the city’s edge © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲当地工艺：堆叠的石灰石墙的灵感来自传统的干式围栏，仅依靠石材自身重力与当地石匠的手工艺建造而成，Local Craftsmanship: Stacked limestone walls inspired by traditional dry-laid fences rely only on gravity—built in collaboration with local artisans and stonemasons © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲叙述性路标和身份：叙述性路标由项目团队与当地历史学家共同设计，通过丰富的沉浸式图形阐明了小径的设计和该地区的历史，Interpretive Signage & Identity: Interpretive signs, developed with local historians, illuminate the trail’s design and the region’s history through lush, immersive graphics © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲连续的自行车基础设施：本项目增加了整个地区的通勤能力，同时为人们创造出由本地植物和树木作为安全缓冲带的休闲自行车穿越路线，Uninterrupted Bike Infrastructure: The Commons also enhance commuter and recreational biking across the region, safely buffered by native plantings and trees © SCAPE & Ty Cole

▲Town Branch Commons时间线：耗时十年，本项目的计划、参与、公私伙伴合作、倡导和筹款过程在联邦、州和地方三级合作下最终完成，Town Branch Commons Timeline: The Commons culminate a decade of planning, engagement, public-private partnership, advocacy, and fundraising at the federal, state, and local level © SCAPE

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© SCAPE & MTWTF

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Weaving 2.5 miles of green infrastructure and multi-modal transit through downtown Lexington to the rural communities on either side of Fayette County, Town Branch Commons is a transformational public space project for the city and county at large. Developed over a decade of public-private partnership, investment, iterative design, and engagement, the project is the culmination of in-the-weeds coordination with stakeholders and funders at the federal, state, and local level—a model for urban-scale green infrastructure projects in mid-sized American cities.

Inspired by the karst geology and native Bluegrass landscapes of Central Kentucky, the Commons thread limestone features through nearly every aspect of the design. from interactive water features to signature “cross-hatch” paving and traditional dry-laid stone fences created with local stonemasons. At a broader scale, the Commons represent a dramatic investment in resilient green infrastructure—curbing urban heat island effect, drastically expanding the city’s tree canopy, and introducing lush, native bioswales. The Commons also link into a regional open space network, connecting to the Legacy Trail and Town Branch Trail to the North and West in Fayette County.

Specifically, the project helped reconnect a historically Black community on the East End to Main Street, introducing a more direct connection through Thoroughbred Park and a new destination playground at Charles Young Park as part of larger civic investments secured through the planning process. It also improved connections at the Transit Center downtown, which primarily serves residents without other transportation options.