The park, which sits at the foot of the 45-story tower designed by Pickard Chilton, is built on structure directly above the existing active Amtrak rail lines, masking the industrial appurtenances while offering a new open space for tenants and a public park for Chicago residents.
River Point is a 1.5-acre riverfront park, plaza, hotel, and office tower located on a prominent axis of the Chicago River in downtown Chicago. The park is a public-private partnership between the City of Chicago and the development team of Hines and Ivanhoe Cambridge.
The park, which sits at the foot of the 45-story tower designed by Pickard Chilton, is built on structure directly above the existing active Amtrak rail lines, masking the industrial appurtenances while offering a new open space for tenants and a public park for Chicago residents. Below, a river walk contours the Chicago River’s edge, which marries the existing and planned continuous Chicago River paths. Benches along the path face the water and are framed by rich planting and full trees.
The walk steps up to the overbuild, where a central event lawn facing the water is circled by pathways leading to botanical gardens, several decomposed granite courtyards, and a large entry plaza with several iconic water features. Covered restaurant terraces reach out into the park above the native garden, where a procession of artistic sound walls deaden train noise from the substrate Amtrak line.
”Constructed above an active Amtrak line, the park strives to conceal unsightly infrastructure and add much-needed public open space to the river front.
”The project stands as a beacon for green infrastructure in the heart of River North.
