For the final project in LA 7002 studio, we were asked to combine all the previous work and synthesize the information to create a site design for a neighborhood park in one of two sites near the levee in the Marigny-Bywater neighborhoods. Both sites were chosen due to their open, undeveloped status as well as their connection and proximity to the newly designed Crescent Park by Hargreaves and Associates. The first site was located at the intersection of Elysian Fields Drive and North Peters Street. The second site was located along Chartres Street between Piety and Independence Streets. I was placed in the group to work on site two.
To begin the design process, we were asked to work in a group and return to the original maps created during project 1.001 to rework them to create a framework of analysis fine tuned to the specific location of our site. As a group we looked at building use and typology, vegetation, surfaces, hydrology, and topography. Once these individual maps were completed, as a group, we were asked to create a combined opportunities and constraints diagram to use as a basis to begin our design of the space. In addition, a site context map was created to illustrate our park site to that of site one as well as the other park facilities in the neighborhood. Several sections were also generated to fully understand the relationship of the site to that of the neighborhood and the new Hargreaves park and the river. As a final task, the groups were asked to create diagrams illustrating different scales of the required park program elements.
Once the group work was finished, we were asked to create a series of program diagrams illustrating how the required program elements could be arranged on the site. The required program elements included small gathering spaces, large gathering spaces, performance space, temporal market space for 12 to 20 vendors, parking for 25 to 30 cars, recreation space, and a dog park. After several iterations of program diagrams were completed, we were tasked with translating the program diagram into actual space by developing concept site plans to study the actual connections and relationships of the different program elements.
After several iterations of conceptual site plans and study models, a final site plan was developed to work from. The plan utilized the scale of the neighborhood boundary of the park as the driving force of the final design. To the west, numerous larger industrial sites are present which translated to the larger scale site elements such as the main entry plaza, aligned with Piety Street, the large open lawn space, which serves as both a recreation and performance component. In the large open green space, the temporal market space is designed to blend seamlessly in to the space by using a structured grass pavement system that will handle the support and wear of the market space while in use but, will look like a uniform space when not in use. The next component of the park design translates to the adjacent block of the park boundary which contains several small shotgun-style homes that have very narrow spacing between the homes. This scale corresponds to the park design’s active recreation space which contains a small stage platform with wide turf steps navigating the topography to the level of the plaza space. In addition, the plaza contains a small playground, several seating areas with raised planters as well as a half basketball court. In order to not have such a dramatic elevation change to this area of the park, a retaining wall with plantings was designed to hold back the earth adjacent to the levee wall in order to have the upper pathway cut down into the topography and allow for the partial flattening of this portion of the site.
Continuing down the boundary, the scale of the neighborhood takes on a more open feeling with some empty lots as well as a restaurant and numerous houses. This portion of the park design includes the dog park, which in multi-level to navigate the topography. This area includes a wall at the main lower pathway to raise the level of the dog park above the pedestrian circulation. The dog park is divided by a retaining wall with built-in seating to separate the two levels of the area. Adjacent to the dog park is a stroll garden that has winding pathways that ramp up and down the more extreme topography. The trails have several bench nodes contained by small walls. This area is planted with native planting and numerous shade trees to provide a quiet and peaceful area to sit and relax.
The overall scheme for planting is to create shade across the site. A grid of shade trees as well as ornamentals are planted at the main entry plaza to create an ordered geometry as a park user enters the site either from Piety Street or as the cross over the bride from Hargreaves’ Crescent Park. This grid also serves to act as screen for the adjacent satellite yard. An allee of trees are located along Chartres Street to act as a buffer from the adjacent traffic and provide shade for the temporal market space. These planting also create shade for the off-street parallel parking. Several raised planters are located among the recreation plaza, dog park, and stroll garden to round out the plantings.
As the responsive technology component of the park, I included a series of light bands in the pavement along Chartres Street and extending one block up each connecting street into the neighborhood. This system is a continuation from project2.001 where the light bands respond to empty parking spaces as well as creating a traffic-calming effect by alerting drivers that a park is present by creating a soft glow from the bands.
