Pruitt-Igoe Now Finalist #32: Past Need Not Be Prologue

Of course this isn't really Pruitt-Igoe Now finalist number 32, but with the official 31 finalists announced and mine not making the cut, I can only assume it was the last one out, right? Right? But anyway, here's my submission: The basic premise is that the Pruitt-Igoe site today is underutilized because experimentation has stopped. When the monolithic development was constructed, then demolished, nothing followed. Located in an economically depressed part of a declining city, it was too big to succeed.

My forumula for the future of Pruitt-Igoe is purposely not monolithic and is centered on four concepts; community, city, recognition and research. Community requires new housing, retail (possibly corner stores), playgrounds and more. City means an end to the superblock and the reintroduction of the street grid. Recognition signifies that what existed on the site is an important part of our history and Research is meant to show that history isn't dead, but should be a living, changing endeavor. You can click the image below to view the submission in full screen, or visit the link to view as a PDF.

(click for link to PDF)