heatherwick studio envisions vibrant park with motorcycle hub for harley-davidson in milwaukee

heatherwick designs vibrant park for harley-davidson

British architecture firm Heatherwick studio and Harley-Davidson have unveiled plans for a community park in the famed motorcycle manufacturer’s headquarters, the Juneau Avenue Campus, in Milwaukee, the US. The project aims to transform the concrete site into a vibrant public park that can be used by everyone, including employees and local residents.

‘Our goal is to turn this historic factory land into a new public park for the people of Milwaukee. We want to make an exciting community space where people can come together with friends and family and experience the wildness of nature alongside spaces for food, performance and play. The ambition is to highlight and celebrate renewed life in the Near West Side of this very special city,’ shares Thomas Heatherwick.

the project aims to transform the concrete site into a vibrant public park open to everyone | all images courtesy of Heatherwick studio

motorcycle amphitheater ‘hub’ that promotes togetherness

Heatherwick Studio (find more here) has been commissioned to create a design that will transform the site into a ‘soulful green gathering place.’ At the heart of the park, the architects plan ‘The Hub,’ a sunken, multi-use, circular event space with tiered seating amid lush vegetation. The amphitheater-like layout is defined by a combination of motorcycle access and turning circles, parking bays, walkways, plants and seating, and 360-degree viewpoints. The design promotes the idea of togetherness for the community, motorcyclists and employees alike.

The Hub is made of ten different locally sourced bricks, natural wood and weathered steel with a warm patina. In one direction, it offers a view of the brick buildings of Harley-Davidson’s original headquarters. On the other side, visitors will see a park planted with 120 native plant species, including 20 species of trees and 100 species of perennials, some of which are sacred to the Forest County Potawatomi.

at the heart of the park, the architects have envisioned ‘the hub,’ a sunken, multi-use event space

‘Milwaukee is the place we have proudly called home for 120 years. We want Harley-Davidson’s presence in Milwaukee to be more relevant than ever before, for our community, employees and our customers,’ says Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson (find more here). ‘It’s important to us to protect and enhance this part of our heritage in a way that is aligned to our strategy, ensuring that it will be relevant to generations to come. Kicking the project off in our 120th year underscores both the importance of the project and the commitment that we are making to Milwaukee. We are very proud by the work of the Harley-Davidson Foundation in spearheading this project, which builds on the $30 million donated by the Motor Company to the Foundation since 2020.’

‘we want to make an exciting community space where people can come together with friends and family’ shares Thomas Heatherwick