PIPE DREAMS
The Ninth Street highway overpass crossing Main Street in downtown Louisville separates the east and west sides of the city, creating both a physical and mental barrier for pedestrians. The Louisville Knot proposes to mend this gap in the urban fabric with a giant piece of street furniture inserted under the overpass that provides micro infrastructures for parties, play, and commerce, encouraging visitors to cross the divide. A series of bent and bundled steel tubes weave together to create seating, tables, lighting, bike racks, signage, and an extra large swing, reframing the sidewalk and an adjacent parking area under I-64 as an inviting space to pass through and gather for special events. The project strengthens urban and social connections, transforming an underutilized area into a welcoming pedestrian thoroughfare.