Navy Pier Pierscape

Navy Pier is one of the top tourist destinations in the Midwest, drawing nearly two million visitors annually, and is Chicago’s second-most visited attraction. CCS was hired to provide strategic consulting and cost management for the $85 million revisioning of all exterior public spaces to make it a truly world-class destination.

Our work encompassed a number of the signature elements of the 3,300-foot-long pier on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, including:

– Gateway Park: As the first part of the Pier that visitors experience, the 12-acre Gateway Park was designed to be a vibrant, cohesive “front yard” with minimal conflict between pedestrians and vehicles. The design addresses aspects of the physical connections to the city, including the bike path, sidewalks, the Lake Shore Drive underpass, and other relevant infrastructure.
– Crystal Garden: As the only interior space included in the Pierscape, Crystal Garden was intended as a true indoor park, providing a quiet, tranquil setting in both winter and summer. The area was fundamentally re-landscaped and included new planters and plantings and water features, as well as hardscape, lighting, furniture, and other surface treatments.
– Pier Park: This area is the heart of the Pier and home to the Ferris wheel and other popular attractions. The design creates a more sophisticated and contemporary environment that enhances the overall popularity of the Pier’s amusement attractions and works with the proposed expansion of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
– East End Park: Surrounded by the historic Grand Ballroom and Lake Michigan, the design of East End Park provided for the fundamental transition of this space from the plaza to the park with great unobstructed views.
– South Dock: The South Dock is the main outdoor pedestrian promenade, and the new design includes the addition of landscape elements and enhances the clarity of the circulation along the Pier.

Working with urban designers, Field Operations, CCS examined all aspects of the Pierscape, including landscaping, hardscape, urban design, communication, graphic design, and lighting.
The project was certified under a sustainability rating system titled Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), which is similar to the widely-recognized LEED rating system but focuses specifically on projects that do not involve buildings or interior spaces.