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This is the beginning of my vision for Downtown Duluth.

There are plans and best practices, but at some point, you have to put a direction on the table that people can see, react to, and build around. This is mine.

For more than a year, I’ve been thinking about how Downtown Duluth can become the best version of itself. How can we learn from other cities without trying to become them? What already makes Duluth special that we can build upon?
After turning that question over about a thousand different ways, a surprisingly simple idea emerged:

What if we folded nature back into downtown?

Downtown is currently an island of concrete, brick, glass, and metal surrounded by parks, trails, waterways, overlooks, and some of the most beautiful natural spaces in the city. Yet very little of that experience continues into the heart of downtown.

My concept is to create a trail system through downtown that becomes both a physical experience and our primary system for wayfinding and communication.

Not a trail in the traditional sense, but a connected network of routes, natural elements, signage, public art, gathering spaces, and visual cues that makes downtown easier—and more enjoyable—to explore.

By changing the experience, we can also begin changing the story we tell about downtown. Instead of treating it as separate from the outdoor culture Duluth is known for, we can make it part of it.
The images here are a small selection from a much larger body of work. I’m currently looking for ways to fund Phase 2: developing the trail map, activating the first loop with temporary and permanent wayfinding, and creating a system that other organizations can use as they invest in downtown.

I’m also exploring ideas for skywalk murals, safer and more natural connections across I-35, new green spaces, and places for respite during winter.

There’s a lot more to figure out. But that’s the point of putting a vision out into the world.

See you on the trail. Downtown Duluth brand logo
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Had a great time working on this piece for @hucklebearyduluth earlier this month outside their fabulous little shop! I will be back there to do at least one more piece after my trip era and @gourddays come to an end. Don’t forget to go @downtown_duluth!
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