joseph kennedy's photo series focuses on the empty corridors of downtown winnipeg’s skywalk

the cold northern climate lead to the adoption of expansive climate controlled networks of pedestrian passages across many canadian cities. although originally intended to provide a comfortable means of navigating the city in bad weather, these enclosed pedestrian systems are now widely considered responsible for detracting from the street life of the cities where they have been deployed. colin rowe attributed the vitality of successful city layouts to the urban conglomerations that superimposed themselves over previous urban forms in his seminal work, ‘collage city’.

these gateway arches may become urban monuments that help positively define winnipeg’s city identity

joseph kennedy‘s photographic series focuses on the unpopulated streets and empty corridors of downtown winnipeg’s ‘skywalk’, in the context of local debates of the system role in urban degradation and possible adaptation in to the future development of the city. the legacy of utopian modernist projects can be observed in the vacant walkways and passages that bisect winnipeg’s city center. winnipeg’s two kilometer long skywalk system began construction in the late 1970’s as an effort to revive a downtown already in decline. 

winnipeg’s two kilometer long skywalk system began construction in the late 1970’s as an effort to revive a downtown already in decline

although ultimately unsuccessful, the long hallways and dimly lit tunnels remain a montage of unpopulated one point perspectives that persist beyond their well-intentioned ambitions. the narrow sky bridges spanning the city streets recall the presence of roman aqueducts as if they were the remnants of a past civilization’s abandoned infrastructure.

the enclosed bridge system was originally intended to provide a comfortable means of navigating the city in bad weather

the long hallways and dimly lit tunnels remain a montage of unpopulated one point perspectives that persist beyond their well-intentioned ambitions

winnipeg’s skywalk bridge

the narrow sky bridges spanning the city streets recall the presence of roman aqueducts

while the PATH and RESO systems in toronto and montreal appear to successfully integrate busy street life into a shopping mall like atmosphere, cities such as winnipeg struggle to resolve their urban identity with their pedestrian infrastructure

the legacy of utopian modernist projects can be observed in the vacant walkways and passages that bisect winnipeg’s city center

winnipeg skywalk map

 isometric skywalk map

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edited by: lynn chaya | designboom