Historically, bridges have served as markers of civic identity and social will. Images of the Golden Gate and George Washington bridges circulate on stamps, postcards, and in travel guides, figuring prominently in the collective consciousness. Despite their significant presence in our built environment, however, architects find their involvement with bridges limited to land-based pylons or ornamental details. Simply put: Bridges are the realm of engineers. This strict disciplinary delineation has led most often to the bridge-as-engineering-marvel— functioning as visual spectacle–or utilitarian structure en route to the main attraction. But what if a bridge could be an end in and of itself? What if a bridge was the destination?

In this studio, students reimagined the MacArthur (Belle Isle) Bridge and the adjacent Uniroyal Brownfield Site in Detroit, Michigan. The site stands at the intersection of a complex array of urban and ecological forces that their projects grappled with. The bridge currently serves as the northernmost anchor of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s ongoing riverfront rejuvenation plan, as well as the sole entrypoint to the city’s largest recreational space: Belle Isle Park.

Blending landscape design with architecture, students' projects crafted an integrated approach that links a habitable component of the MacArthur Bridge to a plan for the Uniroyal Brownfield Site, seamlessly weaving into the evolving fabric of Detroit’s recreational infrastructure.