The Architect Newspaper, Article by Jason Sayer
Freeways were never meant to be environmental saviors. However, Michael Maltzan Architecture (MMA), working with Arup Los Angeles, has other ideas. In a proposal that advocates for the green possibilities of freeways, MMA has outlined how the Arroyo Seco Bridge in Pasadena can serve the neighborhood in more ways than one.
“What if we ask more of the Arroyo Bridge without compromising the integrity of the existing infrastructural efficiency? What if the bridge became an experiential and aesthetic asset for residents and visitors? What if we demand that the bridge do more?” MMA asked.
The two firms suggest draping the tunnel in vegetation and topping it with photovoltaic cells. Part of State Route 134 of the Ventura Freeway, the bridge accommodates ten lanes of traffic and, in MMA’s words, “is at odds with its context, polluting the surrounding neighborhoods with noise and vehicle emissions and simultaneously eroding the Arroyo landscape between the San Gabriel Mountains to the north and the Los Angeles River to the south.”
Read the rest of the article here:
http://archpaper.com/2016/07/michael-maltzan-eyes-vegetated-freeway-las-arroyo-seco-bridge/#gallery-0-slide-0
Read another article about the proposal:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-ca-cm-maltzan-freeway-20160629-snap-htmlstory.html
