Spearheaded by the Harley-Davidson Foundation
and designed by acclaimed designers Heatherwick Studio,
Davidson Park will benefit
employees, local community and visitors to Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE, June 24,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Harley-Davidson, Inc.
("Harley-Davidson" or "H-D") (NYSE: HOG) today formally unveiled
the newly created community park, Davidson
Park ("the Park"), at its iconic Juneau Avenue campus in
Milwaukee.
The project, pioneered by the Harley-Davidson Foundation ("the
Foundation"), has been created in partnership with internationally
acclaimed designers, Heatherwick Studio who conceived and oversaw
an original design to transform the 4-acre parking lot just south
of the Company's 3700 W. Juneau Avenue building into a soulful
green space that can be used by everyone who lives in and visits
Milwaukee's Near West Side
("NWS"). As part of the project team, HGA served as the architect
and engineer of record and Greenfire Management Services as the
construction partner, with both Milwaukee-based firms partnering with
Heatherwick Studio to bring the design vision to life.
"When we started this project, we did so with one main goal, and
that was to further connect the Company with our hometown
Milwaukee, a place that we've been
proud to call home for over 120 years," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO,
Harley-Davidson. "No matter how fast you move forward, you can
never forget where you've come from – this project both celebrates
our heritage and reinforces the power of the Harley-Davidson brand
to be a force for good within our communities."
"Davidson Park has been an
extraordinary collaboration between the studio and local partners,
schools, artists and the Forest County Potawatomi community, to
transform an uninspiring concrete parking lot into a new public
park and events amphitheatre for Milwaukee. Created for the local community,
with the community's collaboration and help, it's a place where
people can come together with friends and family to enjoy some of
the wildness of Wisconsin's
incredible nature, listen to the state's best music, or experience
the energy of a motorcycle rally. Harley-Davidson has been part of
Near West Side's history for over 120 years and the park is a
natural next chapter in their joint story. As the plants grow and
mature, the intention is that the space increasingly honours both
the heritage of Harley-Davidson and gives the residents something
to not just enjoy, but to feel proud of," said Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Director,
Heatherwick Studios.
"On behalf of the Harley-Davidson Foundation, we are really
excited to formally unveil Davidson
Park – we believe that the Park will provide a much-needed
greenspace in our local community – but importantly a space that
can be shared by all," said Tori
Termaat, President, The Harley-Davidson
Foundation.
History and Concept
In 2021, the Foundation sponsored an Appreciative Inquiry Summit in
partnership with Near West Side Partners, a non-profit founded
to make the NWS a great place to live, work, play and stay by
revitalizing and sustaining thriving business and residential
corridors.
The Summit brought together over 200 NWS stakeholders, including
residents, youth, and local businesses, to realize their hopes and
dreams for the neighborhood. Among the key community needs
identified was a safe green space that supports health, well-being,
art and culture, and a place for youth to play. Input from the
stakeholders served as the basis for Heatherwick Studio's unique
community park design.
From the start, the ambition for Davidson Park has been to create an inclusive
place that everyone who lives or visits NWS can call their own -
whether they use the park as a space to relax, to enjoy the local
art and culture scene or attend an event.
"Davidson Park is a testament to
the power of collaboration and listening," says Peter Balistrieri, Principal and National
Corporate Market Sector Leader at HGA. "Voices from all over the
Near West Side—from Potawatomi leaders to local students and
community groups—played a crucial role throughout the process. This
is truly a park for the community, by the
community."
Davidson Park Features
The Hub and Foundation Stone
Celebrating togetherness and paying homage to history and
community, at the heart of Davidson Park is "The Hub", a sunken
multi-use events space, an amphitheatre approximately 272 feet wide
with tiered seating, set among lush plants and trees. The design
promotes coming together with its circular layout defined by a
combination of motorcycle driveways and turning circles, parking
bays, sidewalks, plants, seats, and 360-degree
viewpoints.
In one direction, "The Hub" will provide views of the brick
buildings of the original home of Harley-Davidson. In the other,
visitors will see a park sown 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 tribe, who have
helped provide guidance throughout the process.
The Hub has been built with ten types of locally sourced brick,
natural wany-edge timber, and weathered steel with a beautiful warm
patina. In addition to tripling the green space such as lawns and
plantings, the park integrates a dynamic system of green
infrastructure, including native bioswales, permeable pavers and
cisterns to capture hundreds of thousands of gallons of stormwater
– a significant contribution to regional infrastructure and the
environment. With a commitment to sustainability, the park's design
will be one of the first SITES—a rating system for sustainable land
design and development—certified projects in Wisconsin.
The Foundation Stone is located at the center of the Hub (the
event and gatherings amphitheater, recessed into the ground) and is
four feet in diameter made from cast iron. The Foundation Stone has
been designed by local artist, and Milwaukee
Institute of Art and Design student, Megan Huss, and celebrates the Near West Side
and the creation of this new community park in Milwaukee.
"I am incredibly honored to be a part of the history of
Harley-Davidson and I am able to showcase the sense of community in
the Near West Side neighborhood through my work," said Huss.
Main Street
Main Street is the main pedestrian thoroughfare through the Park,
envisioned for use for events such as farmers' markets, craft fairs
& food trucks. The street also connects all major areas of the
park including the Hub, playground, community lawn, picnic knoll,
serenity garden, and viewing lawns, surrounded by native plants,
including one hundred species of perennials and twenty species of
trees. People can walk across or around Main Street to access the
Hub, making it a lively place for social interaction. At night, the
street will have a festive ambiance with catenary lights above
that change colors.
Union Plaza
The main pedestrian entrance to the park is Union Plaza, located
off West Highland Boulevard. At approximately 11,000 square feet,
the plaza leads to Main Street and the Hub and will be a
destination in itself, with flexible space for temporary markets,
food trucks, and events. Union Plaza will be made from concrete
with varying textures. It is home to a 10-foot tall, weathered
steel sculpture inspired by Harley
Davidson's iconic bar and shield.
North and South Lawn
Located off Main Street to the
northeast is the community North Lawn. The Lawn is approximately
7,600 square feet in size and is surrounded by planting, which will
provide shade and a beautiful setting for relaxation, play &
community events.
The South Lawn picnic knoll is adjacent and east of Main Street
and north of the Union Plaza. It is a place for people to gather on
picnic benches, whether this be family lunch, dog walkers having a
chat, or school children taking part in learning activities. The
picnic knoll is approximately 5,750 square feet in size and is a
wonderful place to be while surrounded by greenery.
Little Legends Playground
Located in the south portion
of the park off Main Street, Legends Play Area was designed in
collaboration with the NWS community to realize the vision of a
nature play area. Elements include wooden log climbers,
steppingstones, and hillside climbing. Little Legends Playground is
6,000 square feet of accessible elements for kids ages 1 to
12.
Viewing Hills
Three hillside Viewing Hills are
adjacent to the southwest portion of the Hub. Each hill is
approximately 2,300 square feet and provides views overlooking the
Hub during special events such as movie nights, theatre events, or
music performance events. The Hills also provide a place to relax
surrounded by native plants, some of which are sacred to the Forest
County Potawatomi., including one hundred species of perennials and
twenty species of trees.
1903 Tavern
In partnership with Molson Coors, 1903 Tavern brings together two
iconic Near West Side anchor institutions to offer Davidson Park visitors a relaxed open-air
environment to socialize while enjoying a cold beverage. 1903
Tavern will serve an assortment of canned beverages including beer,
malt, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages. A portion of the
revenue from 1903 Tavern goes back into amplifying Davidson Park's ambition.
Potawatomi Serenity Garden
The Serenity Garden is a result of a close collaboration between
the Forest County Potawatomi leaders and the Harley-Davidson
Foundation. The garden reflects the geometry of the medicine wheel,
a symbol of significance for many Native American tribes including
the Potawatomi. A grandfather stone is located at the center
of four quadrants of medicine plants that mark the cardinal
directions of the wheel. These plants include tobacco to the east,
cedar to the south, sage to the west, and sweetgrass to the north.
All are invited to use this garden as a place for contemplation,
reflection, and meditation.
An accessible and inclusive space, Davidson Park will be open and welcoming for all
(residents, community members, and visitors) to enjoy, gather, and
connect. We will continue to seek ongoing stakeholder feedback -
incorporating and encouraging community and visitor voices to
inform future enhancements and changing interests.
Future Campus Development
Today's opening marks
the first phase of development at Juneau Avenue. The Company's
vision for the campus is to focus on multi-purpose development,
ensuring that developments continue to celebrate Harley-Davidson
and its history, while recognizing the need to evolve the space to
be relevant not only for today, but for the future. And as the
Company continues to explore opportunities for the wider campus, we
remain committed to our mission and vision.
As part of the next phase of development, two exciting additions
are coming to Juneau Ave – a STEAM Lab and the Harley-Davidson
Factory Racing Headquarters.
Harley-Davidson recognizes the importance of Science,
Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in education and the
importance of helping build the next generation of skilled workers.
The STEAM lab will enable H-D to further partner with local
organizations and schools to provide students direct access to
resources, receive mentoring from our talented employees,
experience hands-on learning, and encourage career exploration in
STEAM fields.
Racing has been part of H-D history for over 100 years and is a
compelling way to bring its brand narrative to life for customers
and fans. The H-D Factory Racing Team will move back to where it
all began, giving visitors to the historic H-D headquarters an
exciting and engaging behind-the-scenes look and enhancing
customer-facing experiences in alignment with the Company's campus
strategy.
To learn more about Davidson
Park, including upcoming events, visit
h-d.com/davidsonpark.
About Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the
parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson
Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our
industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission:
More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of
adventure. Freedom for the soul. Our ambition is to maintain our
place as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Since
1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture by delivering
a motorcycle lifestyle with distinctive and customizable
motorcycles, experiences, motorcycle accessories, riding gear and
apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing,
insurance and other programs to help get riders on the
road. Harley-Davidson also has a controlling interest in LiveWire
Group, Inc., the first publicly traded all-electric motorcycle
company in the United States.
LiveWire is the future in the making for the pursuit of urban
adventure and beyond. Drawing on its DNA as an agile disruptor from
the lineage of Harley-Davidson and capitalizing on a decade of
learnings in the EV sector, LiveWire's ambition is to be the most
desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world. Learn more
at harley-davidson.com and livewire.com.
About The Harley-Davidson Foundation
The
Harley-Davidson Foundation, established in 1993, is the
philanthropic arm of Harley-Davidson, Inc. The Foundation
cultivates social impact through employee volunteerism,
collaboration with other non-profit organizations and investments
in youth programs that foster STEAM innovation and programming. Our
Foundation priorities include a commitment to our home, the Near
West Side of Milwaukee, and the
communities where we live and work across the
globe.
About Heatherwick Studio
Heatherwick Studio is a team
of over 250 problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world
around us better for everyone. Based out of our combined workshop
and design studios in London,
Shanghai, and California, we create buildings, spaces,
objects and infrastructure. We want to see a world where the
buildings and places around us are radically more joyful, engaging
and human.
Our team of architects, designers, makers, engineers and
landscape architects share a motivation to design soulful and
impactful places, which celebrate the complexities of the real
world. The approach driving everything is to lead from human
experience rather than any fixed design belief.
The studio's completed projects include several internationally
celebrated buildings, including the recently completed Little
Island, a new park and performance space in New York, the award-winning Zeitz MOCAA in
Cape Town, Azabudai Hill district
in Tokyo, Coal Drops Yard in
London, and the UK Pavilion at the
Shanghai World Expo 2010.
The studio is currently working on 30 live projects in ten
countries. These include Hainan Performance Art Centre, a major
cultural institution in China,
mixed-use projects in Shanghai and
Seoul, as well as new headquarters
for Google in London (in
collaboration with BIG).
About HGA
HGA is an acclaimed interdisciplinary design
firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients
and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. The
firm believes that great design requires a sense of
curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts,
and the human condition. HGA is a collective of over 1,000
architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers,
and strategists, with 13 offices. The national practice spans
multiple markets, including corporate, cultural, education, local
and federal government, healthcare, and science and technology.
Visit HGA.com or follow on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Greenfire Management Services
Greenfire
Management Services is a minority-owned construction company with
offices in Milwaukee and
Wausau, Wisconsin and is managing
projects throughout the Midwest. Founded in 2010, Greenfire is a
subsidiary of Potawatomi Ventures, the investment arm of the Forest
County Potawatomi Community. Greenfire is a reputable, local
construction manager that provides innovative construction services
to every project throughout multiple industries. In 2021, Greenfire
was recognized by the State of
Wisconsin with the highest certified spend for
construction/architecture and engineering.
### (HOG-OTHER)
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harley-davidson-unveils-davidson-park-a-new-community-park-at-iconic-milwaukee-headquarters-302180321.html
SOURCE Harley-Davidson, Inc.