Cedar Lee Mini Park: Competition Entry
Isometric rendering of our design.
The project site
Future Heights is an organization working to ensure a “vibrant and sustainable future” for Cleveland Heights and University Heights. Future Heights recently put out a call for proposals for a small park project in Cleveland Heights. They ultimately decided to go in another direction but we want to share our design for the park with you.
The site is an existing park in the Cedar Lee District of Cleveland Heights. The park currently functions as a pass-through from a parking lot to the shops and restaurants along Lee Road. The project organizers want to revitalize the park and make it a gathering space not just something to walk through.
This is an exploded isometric diagram. Different design elements are pulled out of the overall design for clarity.
Our concept features historical and programmatic elements distributed throughout the site. The diagram above outlines the different elements of our park design.
The park currently features a significant grade change which is currently overcome with stairs and ramps. These elements hinder free movement through the park. Our design proposes regrading the site with a gentle slope which makes the entire site accessible.
The park design also features rain gardens that wind their way through the park. These rain gardens collect stormwater on the site and reference the natural landscape of the area before development.
We also introduce elements to enrich the community. Information and art displays and planters with seating are placed throughout the site. Our design also includes a couple of canopies which provide dedicated gathering areas.
We’re proud of our proposal for the park and look forward to seeing how it evolves in the future.