The Playgrounds Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. Among several great projects, we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought Reiter Park deserved to be showcased online.

Reiter Park is located within the historic district of Longwood, Florida. The park encompasses approximately 7 acres and is bordered by residential neighborhoods, the City of Longwood Police and Fire Stations, and Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital. The site has served as a community park since the mid-1980s, evolving through various phases that included sports fields, basketball and tennis courts, and the addition of a small retention pond in 2010. During the planning process, further research revealed that the site previously contained a wetland, which had been filled before the park's original development. Additionally, city officials and the design team identified a small underground spring along the property's northern edge, which influenced final design decisions.

Dix.Hite + Partners served as the Lead Consultant on the project, managing a multidisciplinary team that included Architecture, Civil and Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, MEP, Fountain, and Acoustic Engineering. A comprehensive Master Plan was developed in close collaboration with city staff and community stakeholders. The final program includes a Church Avenue extension, multi-use amphitheater and stage, event lawn, pond expansion, boardwalk trail, interactive fountain, Senator Plaza, sensory and healing gardens, loop walking trail, shade structures, pavilions, rain gardens, and a flexible-use festival street known as Senator Lane.

 

The project was guided by key design principles: Activation and Function, Safe and Comfortable Spaces, Accessibility and Visibility, and Strong Social Identity. The intent was to create a vibrant civic space that could accommodate everything from quiet individual reflection to large-scale community events. The design includes a wide range of seating types, shaded areas, accessible paths, and gathering spaces that promote inclusiveness for users of all ages and abilities.

Material selection focuses on resiliency, sustainability, and regional identity. The team incorporated a native plant palette and used durable, context-sensitive materials such as cypress lumber, caprock, Florida fieldstone, weathering steel, and sustainably harvested tropical hardwood.

One of the most significant features of the park is "The Senator II," a living clone of the ancient Senator tree, once one of the world's oldest bald cypress trees. The tree was carefully protected during construction. When deep muck was discovered under the amphitheater location, the design was adapted to preserve the tree and avoid soil instability.

Reiter Park has since become a central hub for the Longwood community and was recognized with a 2024 Florida ASLA Award of Merit for its innovation, resilience, and community impact.

To see more Playgrounds projects, go to https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/lasns-playgrounds-issue-34717#article1

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