A new pedestrian-oriented gateway for Chinatown
Wentworth and Wells Connector
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Client | Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Knight Engineering Inc. |
| Expertise | Master Planning & Visioning, Community Collaboration |
| Size | 1 mile |
| Completion | 2021 |
The Wentworth and Wells Connector reimagines Wentworth Avenue between Cermak Road and Roosevelt Road in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, creating stronger physical and visual connections between Chinatown’s landmarks, the emerging development at The 78, and the Loop. Working alongside WSP and in close coordination with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Department of Planning and Development (DPD), we helped reshape a historically fragmented corridor into a safer, more accessible, and pedestrian-oriented streetscape.
A central component of the project was realigning Wentworth Avenue through future development parcels within The 78. The new alignment extends the street northward and establishes an important connection between Chinatown’s existing commercial corridors and planned mixed-use development to the north. Pedestrian connectivity was a key component of the planning strategy. The project examined routes linking the connector to Chinatown Square, the historic commercial corridor along Wentworth Avenue, with the Chinatown Library to help make movement between existing neighborhood destinations and future development more intuitive and accessible. These connections helped establish a broader network of pedestrian routes, public spaces, and activity nodes extending beyond the roadway itself.
The design throughout the corridor prioritizes the pedestrian experience through placemaking and wayfinding elements. Community identity is expressed through a family of custom streetscape and wayfinding elements. An ornate, laser-cut metal panel gateway draws inspiration from traditional Chinese latticework and paper-cutting, translating familiar cultural motifs into contemporary public-realm features. Integrated directional signage in English and Chinese helps orient pedestrians to key neighborhood destinations while creating a recognizable visual language along the corridor.
Landscape and stormwater strategies contribute to the corridor’s identity and long-term performance. Integrated streetscape planters incorporate reused granite cobbles and hardy plantings to infiltrate stormwater while native prairie sod embankments and stone boulders add texture, greenery, and year-round interest within the public right-of-way.
The completed connector creates a more cohesive public realm that better serves residents, businesses, and visitors while reflecting the character and continued evolution of the Chinatown neighborhood.
Collaborators
Knight E/A, Inc.
Engineering
Vera Wong
Art