During its 40 years old abandonment, the Pruitt Igoe site ignored the awkwardness it conveyed to anyone who attempted tackling it and started to heal itself. Reclaimed by nature and transformed into an urban forest, it would be a crime to deny this metamorphosis, and try to force upon the site another function. As source of identity a site’s history is infinitely richer than any plan rationally created.
In order to commemorate the Pruitt Igoe plan and finally reconcile the city with what it was intended to be, what it became, its result and its potential we propose the creation of a green axis that would connect the northern green areas to those in the downtown forming a green corridor. In an attempt to rekindle the area’s spirit we propose to maintain the urban forest on the Pruitt Igoe site, transforming it into a park. By opening the site to the entire community we intend to engage it to take ownership, while at the same time maintaining its identity.
On the site best known, as unjustly as it may be, as the fail and death of modern architecture, in order to lay to rest the Pruitt Igoe myth, we propose rebuilding of one of the volumes of the former high-rises, housing a Modern Architecture Museum.
As architects, thought since college of the damage ill conceived plans can lead to and made to feel partially responsible for the failure of grand designs we have a personal desire and professional responsibility to commemorate modern architecture.