Build June (2016)

Build Magazine 18 Founded in 1984, Muller & Muller (M+M), has been providing full architectural services for over 30 years. We profile this extraordinary firm and provide a unique insight into its latest project, The Navy Pier Flyover. M+M is a certified WBE/DBE, and work with a variety of clients across a range of project sectors including transportation, recreation, and education, planning, industrial, municipal, retail, and commercial. The firm’s latest project is the Navy Pier Flyover, a new elevated bike path. Born out of the need for safer passage on the lakefront trail, the new portion of the Lakefront Trail, and Navy Pier Flyover has become one of the most anticipated public space projects in the City of Chicago. As of 2015 the 18-mile-long Lakefront Bike Trail received 30,000 users per day during the summer, and anywhere between 1,200 and 1,600 bikes per hour. Currently, this portion of the path is where bikers, pedestrians, and tourists all converge on a space no wider than the average city sidewalk, and in some cases, with no railings to separate them from the cars and buses on Lower Lake Shore Drive. The solution to this situation has become a new ½ mile long section of the Lakefront Bike Trail, known as Navy Pier Flyover. The new elevated bike path will provide bikers, joggers, and the general public a safe path through the extremely congested portion of Chicago’s heavily used Lakefront. The path is raised above construction of a distinctive spine structure. For about half a mile the structure weaves between and over many obstacles, including buildings, roads, and a canal. Once all phases are completed, the dedicated path will extend from the Chicago River Bridge, to Jane Addams Park. The development of this section of the trail has been very important to the City, the entrance to the Chicago River being the site of the founding of Chicago, and the reason of the City spreading from this point. The Chicago River has fuelled the City’s growth, and generated immense innovation in structural design and urban planning for over 180 years. To this day the Chicago Lakefront remains the City’s symbolic “Front Door”. Given how important the Lake Front is to the City, and the fact that this portion of the trail is in the densest neighbourhood, visited by tens of thousands of people a day, we knew that whatever structure was proposed for this landscape needed careful thought, and intent. Various frames, ribs, and columns were given consideration in this initial design process, and by the end, a rib-like structure supported off a central linear tube, which would snake through this dense urban environment, was the structure chosen to move forward with. When assessing column structures, our team landed on an elegantly split oval shape, with the split of the oval being lit at night. Interestingly, this shape is now being compared to the Walking Figures, a sculpture installation in south Grant Park. There were many other important pieces of the flyover to develop, not the least of which is the system of railings and enclosures. The railing posts spring form the deck structure at 8 foot intervals to create a unified rhythmic composition. They are composed of a pair of 1” steel plates cut to a chevron shape that leans in toward the path. The plates support a system of stainless steel cables forming the safety guard. The cables are visually light and with give an elegant shimmer in the sun. The posts also support a triplet of steel tubes which accent the path top but are also meant to guide a wayward bike away from the edge of the path. The inward cant of the railing is designed to discourage climbing. We have also integrated functional and decorative lighting into the path railing, eliminating the need for light poles, which would both waste space, and add needless light pollution to an already densely lit urban area. Also integrated with the railing system is an extensive way finding and traffic control signage system. Information includes directions, warnings and information on local landmarks and common destinations. The project wayfinding system is also integrated far beyond the flyover project to inform people early on the best path to use for their destination. This is an important feature which will guide people away from places they don’t really want to be, hopefully reducing congestion in certain areas. Ultimately M+M was selected for this prestigious project because of their professionalism, dedicated staff and focus on quality and detail. Special Feature 1605RB08 Ones to Watch for 2016: Construction USA