Partnering with the Harley-Davidson Foundation, HGA is collaborating with Thomas Heatherwick and his studio to reimagine land on Harley-Davidson’s Juneau Avenue campus headquarters to benefit employees, the people of Milwaukee and visitors to the city.
Harley-Davidson announces plans to transform a central element of its Juneau Avenue campus headquarters into a public park to benefit its employees and its hometown community, in addition to attracting people to Milwaukee Wisconsin’s Near West Side.
HGA is the architect of record for the transformation in addition to providing civil engineering, landscape, lighting, and technology design. Internationally acclaimed designers, Heatherwick Studio, are overseeing the overall creative delivery of the project. They have been commissioned to conceive an original design that will transform the concrete site into a civic and soulful green gathering space that can be used by everyone, including employees and the local community.
“Milwaukee is the place we have proudly called home for 120 years. We want Harley-Davidson’s presence in Milwaukee to be more relevant than ever before, for our community, employees and our customers,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “It’s important to us to protect and enhance this part of our heritage in a way that is aligned to our strategy, ensuring that it will be relevant to generations to come. Kicking the project off in our 120th year underscores both the importance of the project and the commitment that we are making to Milwaukee. We are very proud by the work of the Harley-Davidson Foundation in spearheading this project, which builds on the $30 million donated by the Motor Company to the Foundation since 2020.”
The initial development will be overseen and funded by The Harley-Davidson Foundation (“the Foundation”), with longer-term sponsorship and donor-opportunities, to further enhance the project, being made available in the near future.
Over the past 18 months, the Foundation brought together a broad set of stakeholders – including members of the community – to expand a shared, long-term vision for the Near West Side and set tangible priorities to accelerate progress for its neighborhood. Among the key community needs identified was greenspace. To deliver this reality, Harley-Davidson has gifted the land identified for the project directly to the Foundation. In developing the project, inputs from multiple stakeholders served as the basis for Heatherwick Studio’s unique community park design.
HGA has been a long-time partner to Harley-Davidson, as the architect of record for the Harley-Davidson Museum and supporting on-going renovations for the Museum.
Our Milwaukee-based team also led a re-concepting of the Museum’s Café Racer and the Motor Restaurant to create an authentic Harley-Davidson experience for customers. Additional projects include Harley-Davidson’s Livewire Lab in Mountain View, California, and ongoing work at the Juneau Avenue Headquarters and at the Product Development Campus in the Milwaukee region.
Peter Balistrieri, principal and HGA practice group leader in Milwaukee said, “As a proud Milwaukee resident, I am honored to advance this innovative project next to my home that will attract both neighbors and visitors from around the world.” He continued, “The Harley-Davidson Foundation’s investment in the park and collaborations with the Near West Side, Forest County Potawatomi and Independence First among a few, will breathe life into this public space and become an enhancement to an already well known destination. ”
At the heart of the new park is “The Hub”, a sunken multi-use events space, 83 meters (approximately 272 feet) wide with tiered seating, set among lush plants and trees. The design promotes the idea of togetherness for the community, riders and employees alike.
Its circular layout is defined by a combination of motorcycle driveways and turning circles, parking bays, sidewalks, plants and seats, and 360-degree viewpoints. The Hub will be built with 10 types of locally sourced brick, natural wany-edge timber, and weathered steel with a beautifully warm patina.
In one direction, the Hub will provide views of the handsome 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. There are also plans for a market street, contemplative garden, and nature playground.
“Our goal is to turn this historic factory land into a new public park for the people of Milwaukee. We want to make an exciting community space where people can come together with friends and family and experience the wildness of nature alongside spaces for food, performance and play. The ambition is to highlight and celebrate renewed life in the Near West Side of this very special city,” said Thomas Heatherwick.
Heatherwick and HGA are also collaborating with Greenfire Management Services, a Near West Side business and diverse supplier, to ensure the project realizes its potential to become an important part of the Milwaukee landscape that reflects both Harley-Davidson’s values and its transformative aspirations for the community.
“This gift to the Foundation is the most recent demonstration of the company’s commitment to its enduring, active community presence and Inclusive Stakeholder Management approach to business that strives to positively impact people, planet and profit”, said Julie Anding, Vice President, Inclusive Stakeholder Management, Harley-Davidson, and President, Harley-Davidson Foundation. “The Harley-Davidson Foundation is doubling down on our focus and investments to support the neighborhood to make it a place all can be proud to live, work and visit. It is our hope that this park will become the heart of the community and catalyst for further revitalization efforts.”
The community park development is set to break ground in spring of 2023 with the park available for use by summer 2024.
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. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.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 design team of 200 problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world around us better for everyone. Their recent work includes Google’s new campus in Bay View California, the multi-award winning Little Island in New York, Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross London, and the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town. Azabudai Hills, the studio’s first major Japanese project, is scheduled to open in 2023. www.heatherwick.com/
About Greenfire
Greenfire Management Services, is a construction company with offices in Milwaukee and Wausau, and doing projects throughout the Midwest. Founded in 2010, Greenfire is a wholly-owned company of the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation, the investment arm of the Forest County Potawatomi Community, and as such, maintains minority contractor status. 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.
About HGA
HGA is a national interdisciplinary design firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great design requires a sense of curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts, and the human condition. We are a collective of over 1,000 architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers, and strategists. Our practice spans multiple markets, including corporate, cultural, education, local and federal government, healthcare, and science and technology.
HGA Media Contact
Michelle Nelsen, Public Relations Director
mnelsen@hga.com