Abstract:
Michigan City’s coal generating plant is a blight
on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The plant and its site
hamper economic development and ecological processes
through toxic industrial process, shoreline modification, and
aesthetic degradation. This proposal intends to establish
a basis for reclamation of this crucial lakefront site for both
community and ecological purposes. Not only will the site
act as a vibrant public amenity and destination, but also
as a functional environment supporting and creating new
ecological growth.
Ecological processes unique to Indiana’s Lake
Michigan shoreline enjoy vibrant success and support in
the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to the south. By
allowing new dunes to form, thus encouraging inland
ecosystem growth, this project introduces an ecological
component necessary to establishing a functional
environment. Introduction of residential areas allows
the site to function as both a destination and place of
inhabitation, and, as such, cater to visitors, immediate
residents, and residents of surrounding neighborhoods.
Amenities not currently possessed by surrounding
communities have been provided and walkable access
allows all within walking distance to enjoy the site’s
amenities without the help of an automobile. All of these
systems are created within the existing framework of coal
generating station infrastructure, and all buildings are
reoccupied to maximize reuse of existing features.
Although this site contains many elements, they
function as a whole. Ecologically rich forests and beaches
are accessible within minutes. Shops allow residents to
buy basic necessities in a walkable radius and provide a
destination for visitors. The site’s core zone, comprised
of passive and active recreation zones, is accessible by
any and all. A return to ecological functionality is only the
beginning: this must be a place in which community and
ecology are able to develop simultaneously
