Houston’s Midtown District is experiencing a renaissance with significant urban redevelopment and infill. This growth, when combined with a thriving arts and culture scene, has increased demand for accessible open space that provides year-round programming and destination events. Midtown Park achieves such goals while also redefining an innovative and resilient approach to stormwater management. The backbone of the park and one key feature of the design is the “Midtown Bayou”, a constructed water channel and detention system, which abstracts the natural bayous, shrub swamps, bottomland hardwood forests and wetlands of Houston, all of which are integral pieces of the hydrology of the region. This system, working together with bioswales and rain gardens, includes an assortment of native plant materials typically found in this environment and has proven to enhance economic and ecological resiliency by protecting against flooding while improving water quality and wildlife habitat for amphibians, insects and birds. During Hurricane Harvey, the feature absorbed and detained all the water that the site received, preventing local flooding and damage to the park.
Working in close collaboration with local, world-renowned artists, Midtown Park hosts dynamic art pieces that aid in one of the major outcomes of the park – its outreach to the community. The design includes the large, centrally located, multi-purpose lawn, which is gently sloped to face the “Rain Fountain” a feature set adjacent to the stage designed to emulate a storm. When not operational, the feature provides additional plaza space for stage events. Sculptural berms, set behind the event lawn, offer topographic relief within a remarkably flat topography, creating views to the Houston skyline. Slated to be the city’s first certified SITES project, Midtown Park is a marker of sustainability while providing vital park space in one of the nation’s largest and most diverse cities.
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