Towers in the Park(ing lots)
by Stephen Gyor
“Towers in the Park,” or high-rise residential buildings sited on large lots (often barren parking lots) of open space, usually do not contribute to an active street life. This is despite the fact that these towers are often quite large and usually include hundreds of residential units. The “Towers in the Park,” concept, most famously promoted by Le Corbusier in the mid-20th century, includes towers set back a significant distance from adjacent streets and which often do not include ground floor retail. In fact, many of the towers do not engage the street at all and are elevated above the ground level.
Planners and urban designers are now attempting to retrofit Le Corbusier’s “Towers in the Park” and other modernist developments into the urban fabric. Instead of tearing down and replacing these large structures, which could be quite expensive, developers are placing townhomes and “lofts” on top of the parking lots and along the street edge. This produces a double-benefit: better urban design through creating an active edge along the street, while allowing developers to maximize their lot’s building potential. A great example of this type of retrofitting exists at the Archstone Lofts 590, located at 15th and Eads Street in Arlington, Virginia. The concept has proven so successful that other such developments are rumored in the vicinity.
The retrofitting trend has positively impacted former big-box sites and shopping malls, and promises to boost exurban sites such as Tysons Corner. Is this a trend which could continue? What other modernist or otherwise unengaging sites are ripe for this type of redevelopment?












