Case Study — Shelby Farms Park, Field Operations

In looking for a case study I became really excited about a project currently underway in Memphis Tennessee. Although the project is not a built object in the architectural sense it has been designed in a very healthy and sustainable fashion. For my case study I have chosen Shelby Farms Park, designed by James Corner of Field Operations.  

The site is located just outside of Memphis’ downtown core and is roughly five times the size of Central Park in New York. Simply, it is a huge urban park. In my mind the most important sustainable qualities, and the most exciting parts of the design are the cultural implications of the project.

“One Park, One Million Trees, Twelve Landscapes” is the design concept for the park. Currently the park is very segmented and the design goal is to unify the vast space, while creating separate, more intimate landscape zones. To do this one million trees will be planted, creating a continuous web for habitat to move through, and in its voids creating pockets for activities. The twelve landscapes are created within these voids. The twelve landscapes are:

1. Art Mound and Park Circle (built on top of a landfill this space will establish the park as a cultural institution)
2. Public Gardens (horticultural education and community work)
3. Community Center and Sports Fields (also includes a science/sustainability charter school)
4. The Range and Arboretum (houses a bison heard)
5. Patriot Lake (non-motorized activies)
6. Plough Park (a more typical urban park setting, with picnic tables and trails)
7. The Outback (equestrian sports)
8. Catch ‘em Lakes (existing hatchery will be used to teach sustainable fishing)
9. The Refuge (a nature preserve)
10. The Orchard Berry Fields (helps provide food resources to the community)
11. Crop and Research Fields (a center for the study food resources and crop studies)
12. The Agricenter (includes a farmers market)

 

The “sustainability” in the plan that makes me excited:

1. The community is planting the one million trees. Just recently local citizens began planting the trees. I would like to incorporate the local Gresham community in my design. I see this less happening in the construction of my Tri-Met shelter and more likely in some interactive element
2. Food Resources. I think it is really exciting that this park will help produce food for the region, as well as teach people about eating healthy and about where our food comes from.
3. The park has been designed for a variety of user groups, maximizing community

 

What I learned: I think the most sustainable thing I can do as a designer on this project is to create a space that gathers the community. In the big scheme of things Gresham needs a place that encourages the growth of community, and becomes a central meeting hub. To have this space connected with a TriMet stop will encourage people to use the MAX instead of driving – perhaps the most sustainable ingredient of all.

 

http://www.shelbyfarmspark.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Farms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYA7wZ9mKmM

http://www.fieldoperations.net