Working in collaboration with the CPD and the West Loop Community Organization, Site Design Group created this truly unique urban park that was once occupied by two buildings. Mary Bartelme Park encompasses one full square block surrounded by residential condominiums and warehouse buildings. A few of the innovative features include salvaged and reutilized architectural elements from the previous on-site building, elevated turf landforms to increase usable green space, native plant materials to conserve water, and the newest technology in architectural paving.

Kids can play under the sculpture-like gateways as it mists much needed relief from the summer heat.

Unique Design Opportunities
At 2.3 acres, Site Design Group capitalized on their design opportunity for Mary Bartelme Park. The abundance of green space is highly desirable in urban parks. To achieve this they designed elevated turf landforms and raised planter areas to create angles to maximize the appearance of additional green space while separating the park spaces.

In doing so and incorporated a striking sculpture-like gateway, visitors are drawn into park.

Identifying the park is a plaza area with five large stainless steel gateway structures appearing twisted set in a field of brilliant white permeable pavers placed in a simply stacked-bond pattern in the direction of the gateway. This interactive misting water feature, surrounded by contrasting steel planter walls filled with native perennials and grasses, is the park’s signature element.

The park’s three other main features, dog park, playground and lawn areas, are bisected by three primary walkways.

Sometimes walkways can be an overlooked blank canvas. Designers unfortunately default to poured-in-place concrete to often for various reasons, when instead they should be designing walks, plazas, building entries, etc. as an opportunity to distinguish a project. Incorporating concrete pavers or permeable concrete pavers doesn’t mean sacrificing design intent or project integrity. Good designs use natural materials to be safe. Great designs transcend regardless of material type. Designing with concrete pavers can require a greater skill but also offer a higher reward and be award winning.

From above on an adjacent roof top, the bisecting walkways can be seen separating the sunken dog park, gateway plaza, elevated turf landforms and the children?EUR??,,????'?????<

 

Pavement Selection Process
Once again the landscape architect took advantage of the walkways as an integral part of their design. Utilizing permeable pavers throughout the park was desired but that wasn’t challenging enough for the landscape architects.

They wanted the walkways and plaza to be a statement for contemporary urban parks. The color, finish textures, laying pattern, joint material, and new technologies were thoroughly discussed and well thought out. Site Design Group worked with their local paving manufacturer Unilock, the premier manufacturer of architectural and permeable paver stones as well as segmental retaining walls, to select a permeable paver that met all the project needs.

Eco-Priora® was their choice for the basis-of-design because it meets the requirements of accessibility with a 1/4 inch (7 mm) joint while offering several architectural finishes and colors. The CPD most recently used this for the Buckingham Fountain Renovation completed last year because the product is ADA accessible.

 

The pavers clean the air on a clear day and on a rainy day the permeable surface allows rainwater to wash away pollutants by infiltrating them back into the ground, rather than being discharged into local sewers.

 

Innovative Product Uses
Said Ernest Wong, Principal of Site Design Group. “In order for the plaza area to remain brilliant white over time, we included Unilock’s TX Active® Pavers to reduce the need for cleaning. And by using permeable pavers throughout park, the native plant materials will benefit from rainwater infiltrating into the ground.”

Mary Bartelme Park provides exemplary performance for design innovation.