In October 2020, Providence opened issued an open Call for Design Ideas to solicit creative ideas for reuse of the Crook Point Bridge structure. The Crook Point Bridge is an icon of Providence's East Side, the neighborhood where Brown is located. This train bridge has been abandoned since 1976, but remains essential to reminding residents of Providence's industrial history.

In 2019, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation allocated $6 million to demolish the bridge. Since then, the City of Providence began discussing alternative futures for the beloved bridge. The image below illustrates the parcel that was outlined for the design call for the bridge's reuse.

The objectives for submissions as posted by the City of Providence are outlined below:

• Create a safe, comfortable, accessible, public space that connects residents and visitors to the Seekonk River and complements the adjacent existing park space. 

• Determine a creative use for the historic structure that attracts people to it and aligns with Providence’s identity as the Creative Capital. 

• Preserve the upright portion of the bridge in some form and display it as an historic local landmark. 

• Create an anti-racist public space where all people feel welcome and invited. 

• Create a solution that is eco-friendly in both its design and construction. 

• Maintain through movement for boats through a 90-foot wide, 42-foot tall center channel in accordance with requirements of the RI Coastal Resources Management Council and US Army Corps of Engineers

Our team consisted of three students and one recent graduate. We had never worked on a project together before, but became interested in this particular project as it intersects our abilities and passions. 

• Hanna Wells / Brown University '22, Urban Studies – Project Manager

• Ioanna Athanasopoulou / Rhode Island School of Design '23, Architecture – Project Architect

• Albin Wells / Brown University '21, Mechanical Engineering – Project Engineer and Sustainability Consultant

• Jesse Morrow / Northeastern University '19, Civil and Environmental Engineering – Project Engineer and Sustainability Consultant

Because this was the first round of submissions the emphasis was not on renderings and illustrations, but rather focused on our concept. While we were not selected to move on for the second round (5 out of over 70 teams were selected), this exploration in landscape architecture and human-centered design was rewarding and fun.