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
75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019
101 Top Products for 2019
Building Design+Construction readers and editors select their top building products for the past 12 months in the fourth-annual 101 Top Products report.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2019
Top Building Envelope Products for 2019
Sto's beetle-inspired exterior coating and Dörken Systems' UV-resistant vapor-permeable barrier are among the 28 new building envelope products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
Building Owners | Dec 2, 2019
What building owners and AEC teams need to know about New York’s Climate Mobilization Act
On April 18, 2019, the New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a suite of laws aimed to meet the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Sustainability | Aug 15, 2019
Paris will soon be home to the world’s largest rooftop farm
Agripolis is spearheading the project.
Codes and Standards | Jul 15, 2019
USGBC calls for proposals for feedback, concepts for next LEED version
The move follows successful public input on LEED 4.1.
Green | May 8, 2019
Does wellness pay off?
Getting wellness to pay off may not be that simple, or even a wise investment to begin with, according to a new peer-reviewed study of 32,000 employees.
Green | Apr 23, 2019
Top 10 green buildings for 2019
The Amherst College Science Center and Frick Environmental Center are among the high-performance projects to be honored with AIA 2019 COTE Top Ten Awards.
Resiliency | Apr 22, 2019
Turner Construction doubles down on jobsite efficiency
The company targets a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions and water use from construction activities by 2030.
Green | Apr 12, 2019
L.A. County’s first sustainability plan tackles carbon, air quality, transportation, resilience
The plan aims for net-zero carbon by 2050.
Sustainable Design and Construction | Apr 9, 2019
One of the largest zero-carbon, net-zero buildings is rising in Spokane
Catalyst will be part of an innovation hub, with Eastern Washington University as its main tenant.