I am like the guy who invented this game...

Can't you understand?

Milwaukee Plans in Northern Logan Square

So, apparently,...
A large part of the area around Milwaukee from somewhere north of Kedzie and Milwaukee (and Wrightwood and Logan) to I don't know, Belmont of farther north is infested with cockroaches...
Which spurred this plan...
Well, after finding of the historical building which are "worthy" of being kept for design qualities and current state of structural integrity (or if they can be repaired, perhaps in rare cases) to be preserved on Milwaukee...
Make either all of Milwaukee...
Or that and a "Radius" perpendicular to it, included some amount of lots on either side of the road, a place for a "new mini downtown"...
Why a place with roaches?
Well, here's the idea...
Zone for tall buildings, maybe twenty stories, or so...
And require them each to have a moat of a certain area...
So, these can help to create effectively "cock roach" deadzones...
You see...
It's turning a problem into a solution...
It's a convincing argument...
Now, if the areas fore and aft of the street are to be included...
(Oh yeah, and the idea is to make a lot of potential commercial,,,
But perhaps bi-use residential or commercial spaces at the "feet" of these edifices with the moats, which reminds me...
It might also make sense here to make a new train, although current train lines do serve this area, so that the old train line can become an "airport" express line...
And, at least, maybe, traffic on the adjacent route 90 can be reduced significantly)...
Then, we need these "pedestrian streets" where alleys now are...
To be well "connected" with "sightlines" to residential spaces...
These taller buildings can help that...
The shape of the buildings, such as by perhaps coming to a point nearest the street and "curving wider" for one example, could maximize, for one these sightlines, as would natural ventilation, as well as decks or ourdoor patios or balconies, etc... so people could opt to travel on these byways in lieu of the sidewalk of the main street and remain nearly as safe, or, potentially, safer still...

So, here we have a "conceptual sketch of rendering" (in axonometric view) of my latest design for  a standard Chicago lot. This is, generally, a more "practiceable" sort of design for me, being smaller in scale, conforming to most, if not all local zoning laws, etc (compared to some other projects of mine which incorporate planning, not the norm for architects, usually it's treated as if there must be a "balance and check" to it, yet, again, I have no interest with any developers right now, no property rights, although I am not sure that means anything either - yes, I am a denizen of this neighbourhood currently and could benefit if it takes a certain course in the future. Look closely at the design and you will see it is somewhat elaborate yet not ultra-complex, or nigh-unbuildable (without a billionaire's budget). Yes, the inspiration is partially the Recreational vehicle, along the lines of Corbusier's interest in ships, perhaps, and it is simply a reference point - there is not slavish adherence to anything as if the building would need to be less a building and more an RV, or something that could be lifted and added wheels to and carted around...
No...
Yes, if a person really wanted...
I suppose some space could be made for RV parking, such as an indentation in the building...
Well, it's not exactly my cup of tea, so forget I mentioned it maybe...
There is meant to be coloured glass, to hearken, I don't know, to Rietveld Schroeder, perhaps, yes, around the windows...
This is designed as a concrete "balloon frame", of some sort, or "space frame", with this cladding of some metal, but it could be painted, if necessary, like RV's and even vinyl siding are sometimes painted (although, I am against vinyl siding, I might try to side it in adobe, before siding it in vinyl siding, not that I am sure adobe holds up well in this climate, it probably doesn't really...)...
That is the main, more practical option, on the other, hand, more similar to my other projects in complexity and expensiveness, the outer layer here, could be made of my "lattice" including the integrated photovoltaic-glass, "calibrated" as it were (yes, I am not sure that people understand all the facets of this design, I guess they probably do not, although I do, and I have tried to explain, and yes, a test of it would be nice to prove its worthiness, but it could be efficient). Yes, and I am aware that if that "cladding" with whatever structure beneath, be it concrete or stone, or whatever might be thicker than what I was designing with the aforementioned properties, well, then the design and scale could be tweaked, you see, that is just implied when potentialities are mentioned, but a lot of people surely won't understand.
Also, either when built or after, a peaked roof might also be installed, just set back a tiny bit maybe, and I am thinking this could be a greenhouse with the entire south side a solar panel and a sky and north facing glazed area...
Which could also have photovoltaic glass perhaps, if necessary, to keep a large heatgain out, or extra circulation or whatever, and which could still get plenty of light to have a garden ornamental or to produce food. This is the basic "innovation", interior design, interior architecture, these might be more straightforward, but the idea, I will note, also includes an idea for integrated radiant heating and cooling in the floors, certainly...
Along the same line, the "flashy" curvaceously shaped windows on the sides of the building, along with their useable interior panes, could conform to a grid, it just hasn't been fully developed yet, but the groundwork is there, a step...
It's only a matter of the next step being taken.

Chicago Report (Problems Part 1 + Short-Term Interventions)

In the spirit of my recent, in a sense new-found ability, to not only articulate what is on my mind, but assert my right to share it, here are some thoughts on the city I have been calling home for some time now:

Preface: Chicago is a beautiful city in the sense that the people of Chicago are of value. The more the city's architecture and infrastructure is improved to foster their physical and intellectual health of the population, I believe the more the true character of the region and, indeed, the people, will be shown to be an exemplary one. This, despite, the slightly swampy nature of the area, which calls for a special, and, not to mention, more costly architectural-foundational approach to building in the future, as specified by code.

Congestion in the city is a lingering issue, the resolution of which will require major cultural reformations, and infrastructural innovations. The relatively featureless landscape, relatively, ably provided for "getaways" from whatever unsavory scenarios presented themselves, creating what once was a quick spreading border of settlement, and vast suburbs, yet, however, resulting in this condition of congestion that is 1. automotive, and 2. powered by internally combusted engines. http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/

"Professor Laurence Rohter, who teaches civil architecture and environmental engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and also a Transport Chicago steering committee member, said the city needs to build connected bicycle paths that are segregated from automobile traffic and are all-weather. “Due to the weather in Chicago,” Rohter said, “it must be all-weather. It would look something like the Minneapolis skyway system.'"
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/searchresults.aspx?searchtext=traffic

A particularly injurious addition to this is the Pilsen Power Plant ie. the Crawford and Fisk Coal Fired Power Plants located within the city limits, in fact, not at all far from the Loop, one of the most densely built areas on the continent, et. al., which "is used to maintain reliabity of the electrical grid during peak times" (http://pilsenperro.org/coalpower.htm). Cultivation of house plants in the city, (including, if needed, heavy investments in self-watering-technology ceramics), getting all interested parties involved in protesting the coal burning plants, esp. those located within the city limts, and, limiting further emissions of fossil fuels in the city, or its vicinities (ie. limiting unnecessary driving, heating, use of electricity; implementing/investing in the use of solar technology, geothermal technology in buildings, and also other green building practices, and batteries, while also developing these technologies, including encouraging their adoption, through political interventions, such as implementation of zoning designed for long-term implementation of solar, legal laws, and government tax refunds...)

And from my private-eye's perspective, a most injurious result of development is one continuing to wreak havoc on the people of Chicago, and the locale as a city, which could be categorized as "industrial waste". I do believe the effect of (hexavalent) chromium 6 contaminated public water, not in the top five cities in the nation (ranking below San Jose), can be correlated to the decline of the areas growth since 1950 hexavalent chromium wiki. Hexavalent chromium is used in the manufacture of stainless steel; "1929 before the Great Depression hit, over 25,000 tons of stainless steel was manufactured and sold in the US.^[9]" stainless steel wiki. U.S. Steel's production peaked at more than 35 million tons in 1953. U.S. Steel wiki "But in 1880 the census recorded 503,000 inhabitants—whereupon it doubled to over a million in 1890 (passing Philadelphia to become the “second city”) and doubled again, to 2.2 million, by 1910. Numbers kept climbing, though never again that fast. Chicago's population peaked at 3,621,092 in the census of 1950 and has slipped since then; in 2000 it was 2,896,016. " Demography: Chicago Encyclopedia

"U.S. Steel" the conglomerate funded by J.P. Morgan, located in Gary, Indiana, which ramped up production in the early 20th century, and produced its most in 1953, precisely around the time Chicago's momentous growth was being retarded, keeping precedence, money, and power, concentrated in the East Coast, seemingly, come to think about it, as the thriving Chicago metropolis, surrounded by some the world's most fertile farmland, and something of the world's largest fresh water supply at its doorstep... and centrally located in the Continental U.S. a nexus of power in itself...

Plan for Reducing Congestion on Sheridan....

I prefer elevating road ways where fossil fuel burning cars will travel to burying them, which unfortunately, might continue for up to another fifty years, or more. Regardless, I am a proponent of ameliorating the pernicious effects of the fumes to all but, especially pedestrians, and bikers, where ever possible...

I would probably institute a moratorium on construction in much of Chicago's northern, lakeside neighborhoods, in order to reduce congestion while construction was underway.

Raised platforms would be constructed above Clarke Ave. and Lincoln Ave both, containing most likely 1.5 to 2.5 lane-widths for traffic each, perhaps excluding trucks of a certain size (very large?), since it it not practical to lift certain heavy weights up the ramps, and to construct such a burdensome, heavy, thick network of roads. Limiting the number of lanes, as well as southward orientation/positioning, reflective materials, etc. will ensure that light circulates more abundantly, while the form and massing, will also help ensure air, in buildings, and on pedestrian and bike routes in the city is measurably purer over a long period of time, along with the resulting increases in efficiency (such as avoidance of traffic lights for many travelling through, not to the city - again taking away the burden from Lake shore drive, and the burden of pollution from the lake-shore trail, during the time that carbon emissions from cars persist), and proximity of the release of emissions to the emissions' skyward potential of escape.

On and off ramps will branch off either side of these raised ramps, parking may be made available on other raised platforms over minor streets to compensate for spots lost to, "on and off", ie. descent/ascent ramps.

Ramps will curve gradually, in S-form, to ease ingress egress for low vehicles, and promote smooth transitions

Logan Square Neighborhood Mods (Priorities from a Designer's Perspective)

For modifications to the neighborhood: Firstly, to make sidewalks, roads, and alleys more friendly, green space will be added in areas where the corner of buildings now exist, allowing greater visibility from the ground, and diagonal paths will be added between the new building edges and the green space to shorten, and diversify ground circulation options. , Measured, increased height limits will compensate for the lost ground area, allowing occupable square footage to stagnate or grow. Other specifications for new buildings will be required in order to compensate for disadvantages of increased height, including requisite glass areas, and also, allowances for height provided the other facade materials provide higher reflectivity, ie. marble shard infused concrete, etc. Further diagonal small and larger scale circulatory interventions, ie. roads, paths, interchanges... in the neighborhood and larger vicinity in the city would help provide more services, more locations in general, more easily reachable, to whichever given location.

Additional green-space is to be located, if not in and around every road (each of which should be paved with some greener alternative to asphalt), around all the main roads and highways, especially between now and the time when auto emissions become truly negligible (not in the near future, I would say... unfortunately).

A resource, but also a curse to this neighborhood is the nature of Chicago itself, a huge metropolitan commuter region, Logan Square sits betwixt the heavily trafficked Route 90 Interstate highway, and the NW, Metra Line, featuring Healy Metra Station, both of which, not only interrupt the city fabric drastically, but which emit noise and particle pollution into the neighborhood an vicinities, along with the heavily traveled main roads going East to West, specifically Fullerton Ave.

tbc

Lake' Chicippi' - Mississippi Flood Release Valve, Replenishment of Lake Michigan, Water Cleaning, Transportation, Recreation and Climatic Effects

Some or all of the aforementioned uses coalesced within my mind into this perhaps less than absolutely extravagant idea, which, at present, involves a flood gate, from somewhere suitably upstream from the Chicago region along the Mississippi, which would allow water from the Mississippi to flow into that area west, northwest (even southwest?) of the city, into a man-made lake fashioned to make advantageous use of existing topography/terrain to create volume and area which would provide additional water-mediated climatic moderation to the Chicago metro-region which could bolster the potential of the area to hold higher densities of person without compromising efficiency or health greatly, while creating a park-like oasis which might be used for recreational purposes, and releasing water to a chemical processing plant which might then release it along, even a canal system (:designed to keep the entire region from getting too soggy a la Venice), in order to replenish lake Michigan, since its water is drained from the lake to the Mississippi for the purpose of carrying the cities waste to the Gulf...
Thus, the canal system would be a related project.
The aqueduct project could be an element of this project, but though, similar, was slightly different in that it proposed carrying the water aloft for a longer amount of time, and was more about delivering this flow to the city of Chicago for purposes such as pools, fountains, man-made lakes, as well as replenishing the lake which is being depleted as UrbanLab drew my attention to, in their future of Chicago 2020? project.
Again, It's easier to imagine all this than to actually accomplish it: granted.