Miller Park, located in the heart of Chattanooga’s Innovation District, is nearing the end of a $10.3 million project to bring the park up to street level, making it more inviting and accessible. Spackman Mossop Michaels (SMM), a landscape architecture firm, and architecture firm Eskew Dumez Ripple (EDR) partnered on the project.
The project connects Miller Park with the existing Miller Plaza across the street through a “shared street” approach. The firms reconfigured Martin Luther King Boulevard to connect the two areas and create one unified civic space. This process included reducing traffic lanes, removing traditional curbs to bring the road and sidewalk to the same level, and planting a flush median strip with native trees to slow down traffic and encourage more pedestrian activity throughout the park.
See Also: Water Street Tampa’s developer reveals details about this project’s public spaces
Over 75 new trees were planted and an expansive soil cell system was installed to allow the tree roots to grow large and wide without disrupting the pavement. The soil cells will allow the trees to grow large and eventually create an urban forest while also providing stormwater management that reduces the amount of water that enters the combined sewer overflow systems.
Courtesy SMM.
In addition to providing an abundance of nature, the new Miller Park is also strong in the technology department. The space is designed to accommodate cultural events and technologically-advanced productions. Free high-speed wifi is available throughout the park and an underground system of internet cables and electricity can support high-tech digital art installations and performances.
EDR designed a pavilion for the space that includes a digital projector. This pavilion, when combined with the adjacent open lawn, creates a space for community events such as outdoor movie screenings and live performances.
Miller Park is scheduled to open on Sept. 14.
Courtesy SMM.
Related Stories
Energy Efficiency | Dec 6, 2022
Washington state’s Building Code Council mandates heat pumps in all new residential construction
The Washington State Building Code Council has voted to require heat pumps for all new residential construction starting in July 2023. The new mandate has drawn criticism over concerns that it will add costs to housing construction, especially given current supply chain challenges for heat pumps.
Geothermal Technology | Dec 6, 2022
Google spinoff uses pay-as-you-go business model to spur growth in geothermal systems
Dandelion Energy is turning to a pay-as-you-go plan similar to rooftop solar panel leasing to help property owners afford geothermal heat pump systems.
K-12 Schools | Nov 30, 2022
School districts are prioritizing federal funds for air filtration, HVAC upgrades
U.S. school districts are widely planning to use funds from last year’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) to upgrade or improve air filtration and heating/cooling systems, according to a report from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The report, “School Facilities Funding in the Pandemic,” says air filtration and HVAC upgrades are the top facility improvement choice for the 5,004 school districts included in the analysis.
Legislation | Nov 23, 2022
7 ways the Inflation Reduction Act will impact the building sector
HOK’s Anica Landreneau and Stephanie Miller and Smart Surfaces Coalition’s Greg Kats reveal multiple ways the IRA will benefit the built environment.
Green | Nov 13, 2022
USGBC updates LEED v4 to better address greenhouse gas emissions and climate change
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will update the LEED v4 green building certification program to “more directly address greenhouse gas emissions and climate change” according to a USGBC news release.
Green | Nov 13, 2022
NREL report: Using photovoltaic modules with longer lifetimes is a better option than recycling
A new report from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) says PV module lifetime extensions should be prioritized over closed-loop recycling to reduce demand for new materials.
Green | Nov 13, 2022
Global building emissions reached record levels in 2021
Carbon-dioxide emissions from building construction and operations hit an all-time high in 2021, according to the most recent data compiled by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction.
University Buildings | Nov 13, 2022
University of Washington opens mass timber business school building
Founders Hall at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, the first mass timber building at Seattle campus of Univ. of Washington, was recently completed. The 84,800-sf building creates a new hub for community, entrepreneurship, and innovation, according the project’s design architect LMN Architects.
Industry Research | Nov 8, 2022
U.S. metros take the lead in decarbonizing their built environments
A new JLL report evaluates the goals and actions of 18 cities.
Green | Nov 8, 2022
USGBC and IWBI will develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) will expand their strategic partnership to develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL.
