The 26th Avenue North Overlook Reclaims the North Minneapolis Riverfront for the Community
By Cinnamon Janzer | May 2, 2022
Designed by 4RM+ULA, the Overlook cantilevers out toward the water to give visitors an immersive river experience. Photo by Morgan Sheff.
2022 PRINT ANNUAL
This feature appears in the 192-page, 2022 ENTER print annual, available for purchase here.
In 1883, Minneapolis hired landscape architect Horace W. S. Cleveland to design the city’s park system. Cleveland envisioned a network of green spaces that linked the Mississippi River to natural amenities across the city. That vision was severely compromised for North Minneapolis when I-94 was built, cutting Northside neighborhoods off from the river that the rest of the city has always enjoyed.
Located at the terminus of 26th Avenue North, the Overlook project—a RiverFirst initiative—is a step toward rectifying past wrongs. Working with Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) and local residents, architecture firm 4RM+ULA and landscape architecture firm Ten x Ten developed an inviting, inclusive, circular platform designed to help North Minneapolis residents reclaim the river.
The cantilevered platform centers on a 35-foot, color-changing mast that leans toward the water, beckoning the community to its shores. At the base of the beacon, blue netting invites kids of all ages to play, making the Overlook less of an end point and more of a living part of a trail that begins at Theodore Wirth Park. Wrapping the Overlook is a steel railing designed by JXTA youth apprentices that tells a visual story of the riverfront’s metamorphosis from nature to industry and—thanks to this project—back again.
Photos 1–8: The drama of the canted, 35-foot light pole and cantilevered platform only increases when night falls, thanks to colorful lighting. The play netting around the base of the pole makes every square inch of the Overlook an opportunity for recreation. Photos by Morgan Sheff.
James Garrett Jr., AIA, NOMA, 4RM+ULA principal
“We wanted to invite people to cross the freeway by presenting the river to them in a whole new way. We used the beacon’s light to take advantage of the darkness we have, especially in winter, to illuminate, entice, and celebrate. Plus, the Overlook is a loop that turns visitors back toward the community again.
“Laying on the net, you can almost feel the water splashing underneath you. That concept of wanting to bring people to smell, taste, and touch the water never really left us. It’s so powerful to see young people on scooters or walking with friends, making this pilgrimage today.”
Satoko Muratake, Ten x Ten landscape architect
“We wanted people to feel the wind and hear the rustle of the leaves, so we created a habitat. We used shrubs and trees to frame the view toward the river and restored native plant communities to encourage insects, pollinators, birds, and deer to return. Aspens frame the path with dangling leaves that turn bright yellow in the autumn. Eventually, the whole hillside under the Overlook is going to be a mixture of prairie grass and wildflowers along with bright red dogwood, willow trees, and serviceberries that flower in the spring and bear a very tasty fruit.”
Paul Bauknight, Center for Transformative Urban Design
“What you build sends a message. The Overlook says to the community, ‘You’re important. You’re valued. Your culture is valued.’ People of color need to see the river as theirs, and they shouldn’t have to leave their neighborhood to enjoy the natural public amenities that make Minneapolis a special place.
“These incremental projects that people can connect with really help. They build trust. Communities of color have heard numerous times, ‘We’re going to do this for your community.’ There’s success in something that people can see right away rather than waiting for the grand vision. It’s tangible—you can go see it. It’s a start.”
The 26th Avenue North Overlook project team included the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 4RM+ULA, Ten x Ten, Mattson Macdonald Young, MEP Associates, EOR, Schuler Shook, and Sheehy Construction.
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