Enhanced Image: Shadley Associates via Charlotte Observer
One of four major park spaces in downtown Charlotte, this entirely new 4.6 acre park is well connected to Center City, the First Ward Neighborhood and the University of North Carolina Charlotte. The park also benefits from an existing on-site light rail station, restaurants, offices, the First Ward Elementary School, and ImagineON; a children’s library and performing arts center which currently attracts visitation of over 500,000 annually. Shadley Associates, a Massachusetts-based firm, won this invited national competition to design a park to attract visitors from greater Charlotte and beyond. The park design uses granite seat walls and hundreds of native trees and shrubs to frame an open central lawn. The granite walls embody the famous geology of the region and give definition to the parks many garden sub-spaces. There are numerous entrances into the park, a full walking circuit around it, and many paths through it. Park features include two major public fountains, garden structures, public art and an interpretive exhibit of the History of Charlotte. First Ward Park is also the new home of the City’s successful Jazz Concert Series which hosts events with attendances of over 4,000. The park dedication and light up is scheduled for December 8. Please gather with us at the Levine Museum at 5:15PM and walk over to First Ward Park for the 5:30PM Light Up the Park event. We will meet and chat with members of the design team.
CIVIC BY DESIGN FORUM
Presented with Levine Museum of the New South
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
5:15pm Gather at the Levine Museum of the New South lobby and walk to First Ward Park to attend the 5:30PM Light Up the Park Event
Location:
Levine Museum of the New South
200 East Seventh Street
Charlotte, NC
Free and open to the public
Free parking after 5PM at 7th street parking garage with Museum validation stamp
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THE DECEMBER 8 EVENT:
1. Gather at the Levine Museum of the New South lobby at 5:15PM for welcome
2. Walk to First Ward Park and attend the Light Up the Park Event
3. Meet and chat with members of the design team
4. Enjoy touring the park and samplings of food and refreshments
Questions:
Partners:
Presented with Levine Museum of the New South
First Ward Park is the culmination of a joint partnership between Levine Properties, UNC Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte. Shadley Associates.
References:
Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Parks/ParkPlanning/Pages/FirstWard.aspx
Charlotte Observer: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/development/article41479329.html
"You can neither lie to a neighbourhood park, nor reason with it. 'Artist's conceptions' and persuasive renderings can put pictures of life into proposed neighbourhood parks or park malls, and verbal rationalizations can conjure up users who ought to appreciate them, but in real life only diverse surroundings have the practical power of inducing a natural, continuing flow of life and use.” ― Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities
The mission of Civic By Design is to elevate the quality of our built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of more beautiful and functional communities for all. We achieve our mission by engaging and uniting businesses, non-profits, academic institutions, municipal governments, and citizens through civic design including the monthly Forum. This is a free and open to the public forum in our eleventh year of activity. The Forum is presented with the Levine Museum of the New South and through partnerships with the Foundation for the Carolinas, Crossroads Charlotte, American Institute of Architects Charlotte, the Congress for the New Urbanism Carolinas, the Charlotte Sierra Club, the US Green Building Council Charlotte, the City of Belmont, the Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance, the Charlotte Mixed-Income Housing Coalition, Congress of Residential Architecture Charlotte, the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art Charlotte, City of Charlotte Transportation and Planning, Charlotte Center City Partners, Sustain Charlotte, the Public Art Program of Charlotte’s Arts & Science Council, TreesCharlotte, Plan Charlotte, National Trust for Historic Preservation Green Lab, Charlotte Film Society, 100 Garden, Better Cities & Towns, and participants like you. Thomas E. Low AIA CNU LEED AICP NCARB, Civic By Design © 2015