Trinity River Park
The city of Dallas, Texas is set to develop what is being described as ‘one of America’s greatest urban parks’.
Designs for the 10,000-acre Trinity River Park by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), were unveiled by Mayor Mike Rawlings earlier in the year, and in October 2016, a $50 million donation from Annette Simmons in honour of her late husband Harold Simmons, pushed the project closer to becoming a reality.
The park will be 10 times the size of New York’s Central Park and will comprise 7,000-acres of the Great Trinity Forest, 2,000-acres of space between the Trinity River levees, and 1,000-acres of space that has already been developed.
Following the ideas guiding landscape urbanism, the designs connect the river with the city, creating a ‘beautiful and naturalistic network of trails, meadows and lakes’. The area between the land and river will restore the ‘ecological function and natural beauty of the channel and its banks’, while also providing protection from the severe flooding that has blighted the city in recent decades.
MVVA will work in collaboration with a wide range of engineers and other specialists to ensure the park's infrastructure is sound, adaptable and accessible.
Following the donation, moves are being made to name the park The Harold Simmons Park, subject to City Council approval.
Content and images courtesy of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Top 50 firms awarded 52bn of projects in the last year
New engineering data shows.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Plumbing and heating for successful retrofit and renovation
Low temperature underfloor systems and heat pumps.
Cost-of-living crisis and home improvement plans
Starting on the right footing and top tips for projects.
Delays on construction projects
Types, mitigation and the acceleration of works.
From Chaucer to Fawlty Towers.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.