Franklin Park is a 70-acre mixed-use development situated in the rolling hills of Franklin, Tennessee. Shaped by a central road system which splits and crosses an on-site creek from the 12-acre open space amenity, the central park is the organizing element for the development.

Setting the Goals
Working with the owner, the landscape architecture firm HGOR won the competition to plan and design Franklin Park based on five key objectives: to create an overall sense of place and identity, which defines the essence of the overall development; to establish an organization, which identifies a phased development strategy that delivers that identity from day one, while using sound financial responsibility; to provide structured parking for each development to allow for buildings and common amenities to powerfully transform the image of the suburban office park, which was a departure from other developments in the Franklin/Cool Springs area; to reshape the way sites and buildings sustainably respond, respect and preserve the natural environment; and to provide the community of Franklin a new and unique choice of office product, which both captures the traditional office work force and engages the surrounding community seamlessly.

The Big Picture
The site plan offered a variety of human scale spaces and opportunities for respite. A central amphitheater supplies a flexible social space designed to offer comfortable gathering for large events. Smaller intimate spaces offer opportunities from a quiet stroll, to a long view of the surrounding hilltops, to a playful game of ping-pong. All of these are threaded together by a network of streets and over 2.5 miles of sidewalks. Both the pedestrian and vehicular experiences are shaped by a strong sense of connectivity and
linkage between the development sites.

At the forefront of the Franklin Park design concept is a strong ethos of

 
sustainability and responsible resource management. Each of the seven natural drainage basins within the overall property are considered in the comprehensive and integrated water resource management plan. Franklin Park embraces stormwater management, water quality features and rainwater harvesting methods into key site amenities, which responsibly demonstrate the importance of water as a valuable resource integral to our lives.

Scope of Work
HGOR's role began with presenting the client with planning options illustrating the evolution in the traditions of the suburban office park. From this we closely collaborated with the civil engineers and architects to shape
the site plan and present a solution that greatly reduced the use of underground storm systems; leading the process of locating and sizing each of the properties' planned integrated water quality features and littoral shelves.

Following shaping the site, the landscape architecture team carefully selected an adapted plant palette made up of native species and adapted species appropriate for the surrounding rolling countryside. Further, our role was to work closely with the client and general contractor to deliver the finish and design embodied in each of the custom site features interwoven throughout Franklin Park.

Special Factors
The central pond collects all of the storm water from the surrounding road system and park, mitigated through collection forebays. The pond, designed to accept intermittent fluctuation in water level, is surrounded by a boardwalk, an event stage, casual moveable seating moments, and an interactive cascading water wall. The central amphitheater with limestone terraced seat walls has seating for up to 800 people. There are eleven-foot-tall custom entry walls framed by hand, and laid stack stone walls, indicative of the historic stack stone walls of the region.

The outdoor amenity area includes a gas fireplace and a custom oculus trellis structure with decorative metal cutouts, varied height stylized tree trunks, handmade heartwood tables and benches, a custom concrete ping-pong table, and an aggregate bocce court. A 2-acre great lawn was designed for passive and active play. And an interactive water feature between the first building and parking deck fluctuates between a series of interconnected pools which receive storm water from the surrounding buildings' roof, parking deck and storm drains.

The Outcome
The project was completed in May of 2018. It was presented a LEED Silver designation and the Excellence in Development Award in the Private Sector Large Project category from the Urban Land Institute, Nashville Chapter.
Franklin Park is one of the first developments following a change in local building code, which now allows 10-story office park developments. The resultant site density factors have allowed Franklin Park to deliver an urban transition in site development, creating a strong sense of place by which the end product is built upon and establishing a civic-minded series of pedestrian features which improve the greater surrounding fabric.

Final Thoughts
As we reimagine urban stormwater as an opportunity rather than a challenge, continuing to overload sewage treatment plants and polluting waterways, more cities have turned to green infrastructure innovations to effectively manage water and climate challenges. We have the opportunity to draw upon nature by mimicking the way nature collects and cleanses water. Green infrastructure cost-effectively reduces sewer system overflows and manages storm water runoff, improves local water quality, decreases the use of potable water, reduces heat-island effects, improves public health, enhances recreational opportunities, increases employment, and stimulates economic growth. This infrastructure process represents a major shift in the way we think about and deal with stormwater in Georgia, the Southeast Region and around the world. We're recreating the living landscapes that once slowed, filtered, and consumed rainfall by adding green to our streets, sidewalks, roofs, schools, parks, parking lots and more-any impermeable surface that's currently funneling stormwater into our waterways is fair game for greening.

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Same Issue, Different Approach
HGOR has long embraced green infrastructure approaches, integrating social, economic, and environmental benefits while addressing water and climate challenges. The master plan for the Lowes Corporate Headquarters site revolved around a seven-acre lake that serves to support stormwater management in the form of a reservoir, as well as the creation of a space for wildlife to seek refuge. The lake was formed by the reimagining of an existing stream that ran through the site prior to construction. This included building a small dam with surrounding waterfalls and wetland settings and stocking the lake with fish. The site has a natural feel and the series of stormwater management and irrigation systems through water courses and bio-retention runs and basins all work in harmony.

As seen in LASN magazine, January 2020.