World Business Chicago (WBC) officially announced WONDERWAYS! Reimagining Chicago's Boulevards as a Network of Climate Commons by national landscape architecture firm MKSK as a joint winner of Horizon Lines: Visions for Chicago 2050 alongside Green City Rising: Chicago's Living Network of Neighborhood Arboreta by The Morton Arboretum. Both projects offer ways to bring greener, more connected networks to Chicago's neighborhoods.

WONDERWAYS! puts forward a plan to integrate expanded tree canopies, continuous walking and biking trails, and adaptable plazas and seasonal spaces along the 28 miles of Chicago boulevards. The plan has the potential to manage stormwater, reduce heat, restore natural habitats, and create inviting public spaces all at once.

 
Brett Weidl, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, Principal and Landscape Architect at MKSK, shared, "Wonderways! reimagines existing boulevard infrastructure as a civic and climate commons, strengthening community connections and supporting everyday life while laying the groundwork for long-term economic vitality, neighborhood investment, and climate resilience."

The other winning project, Green City Rising, proposes a process that would establish local arboreta where communities would participate in selecting the trees and plants that best address the ecological needs and local identity of the neighborhood. In addition to providing biodiversity and resilience benefits, the project would "[give] residents a direct role in shaping and caring for their community landscapes.

Jill Koski, president and CEO of The Morton Arboretum, stated, "Our goal is to position nature as a key stakeholder in Chicago's economic and community development."

According to a press release from WBC, "The jury selected two winners after determining that the proposals' complementary strengths created a more complete vision than either could offer independently." They further state that MKSK and The Morton Arboretum are exploring ways to partner.

"Together, [the two projects] show what is possible when design, civic ambition, and local voices come together to build a greener, more connected Chicago for the next generation," said Phil Clement, WBC president and CEO.

MKSK and The Morton Arboretum will each receive a $5,000 honorarium, and WBC will facilitate conversations with various partners to explore a combination and amplification of the two concepts.

The Horizon Lines program is not a formal process for city planning, but a way to recognize visionary opportunities for the city to potentially pursue. To see the other projects or learn more about the winning proposals, go to: https://worldbusinesschicago.com/horizon-lines/