Ten Eyck Landscape Architects has restored a "recreational heart" to a downtown park in Austin, Texas with vernacular buildings, play spaces and a revitalized ecosystem.
In 2014, the city of Austin adopted a vision plan for the future use and care of the 84-acre Pease Park, the oldest public park in the Texan capital, that focused on built elements, historic features and cultural resources.
Ten Eyck Landscape Architects restored the downtown park in Austin
Ten Eyck Landscape Architects collaborated with Clayton Korte and Mell Lawrence Architects to revitalise the park's southernmost portion ? known as Kingsbury Commons ? into a place for people to play and celebrate the park's history.
"The challenge was to weave a heavy program of play elements, trails and other park facilities into the topography without overwhelming the native setting in a constricted space," said primary consultant Christine Ten Eyck. A basketball court features in the new design
"We hope Kingsbury Commons sets a standard for Austin parks by integrating fun and play within nature."
Completed in 2021, the renovated Kingsbury Commons serves as a new, accessible "front door" for the park, inviting visitors in through historic stone archways and mature live oak trees.
The team removed telephone poles, an old splash pad and a restroom to clear an open activities lawn with sweeping views of the park and access to the adjacent Shoal Creek.
Kingsbury Commons includes plac...