The Forks waterfront – Winnipeg
“Having done a variation of this exercise to explore environmental design quality with my own students, I anticipate that most people will struggle to find a non-nature-based location that leaves them with a particular sense of experiencing something transcendent. For most Winnipeggers, the first thing they will say is a quality space is “The Forks,” which is a waterfront public space in the heart of the city located where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet. Archaeological evidence suggests that it has been a meeting place for over 6,000 years. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1974. Amongst other things, it features a riverwalk, a marketplace inside refurbished stables, shops and restaurants in an adapted train warehouse. It is home to the Manitoba Children’s Museum, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Best of all, however, is the Nestaweya River Trail, a 6-10 kilometre skating/cross-country skiing/walking path that extends between the two rivers. Every year an annual international competition invites architects and artists to create “warming huts,” six of which are added to huts from years past. I love walking and the experience of being on the river trail with a rich diversity of other people embracing the frigid winter and enjoying the hut designs together.
My most positive experience of built quality ever was, however, outside of Canada – La Sagrada Familia Basilica, Barcelona, Spain. A story for another day?” (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.166).
Photo credits: Robyn Mallory (1-2), Shauna Mallory-Hill (3-4)
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