Located 30 minutes north of Madison, Wisconsin; the town of Sauk City lies at a key geographical point within the regional corridor. As commerical development has shifted towards the town's edges, its historic downtown has lost business and fallen to neglect. The intent of this student project was to work with the village administration and community members in creating a long-term vision for restoring the area's vitality.
The core elements of this vision focus on creating a highly connected, walkable, downtown with a variety of public, private, and commercial destinations. Celebrating the communitys unique sense of place was a key principle in guiding the plan's program and aesthetic. It's prairie setting along the Wisconsin river provided a rich backdrop and a central destination for residents and tourists, alike. This location along a vital stretch of the Wisconsin River- crucial wintering grounds for the American bald eagle- also provided an opportunity for environmental restoration efforts. Special consideration was taken to create a low impact, urban space, which integrates itself with the natrual setting. All parking lots and streetscapes were designed with vegetated, bio-infiltration swales to retain and purify stormwater runnoff. In addition to this, the entire urban section of the riverfront is protected with an infiltration swale, designed to prevent polutants from washing into the restored areas of prairie-marsh and river. Other environmental features include LEED certified buildings, porous paving surfaces, and guidlines to restrict landscaping to the region's native species.
Upon completion, a presentation was given to the town board and the pulic, along with a written and illustrated document outlining the renewal process and concepts. Since then, the project has been used to secure government funding and is serving as the basis for further professional development and construction. The subsequent plans created from the original project received an urban design award from the Wisconsin chapter of the American Planning Association.
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