moore square competition

Location: Raleigh, NC
Honorable Mention 2009

Frank Harmon Architect PA
Lappas + Havener PA Landscape Architects

problem statement

Activating Moore Square will transform Raleigh, setting new standards for sustainable place-making in North Carolina. Towards this end, we propose weaving four elements, activity, land, water, and history, to create an urban tapestry. Enhanced recreational, social, and relaxation activities will attract community members and visitors. Land will be shaped to preserve existing natural elements and allow easy access to the park. Water will be recycled and celebrated. History will be highlighted with the memory tower, a new downtown attraction that will be resplendent with contextual imagery.

our design response

The park acknowledges the landform typology of the Piedmont as a series of tilted planes, conveying both water and people. The sloping great lawn accommodates community performances. Water play areas teach the hydrology of the park; stormwater is captured, cleaned, and stored. Along the northern park edge, a pedestrian deck hovers above an emergent bog garden. Other decks preserve the root areas of capital trees. The canopy provides structure for activity between city market and the park, housing restrooms, an information kiosk, bike and chair rentals, and market space. Community history is articulated on the surfaces of the memory tower, where solar-powered LED displays broadcast archival materials.

Synergy between activity, land, water, and history enhances pedestrian connections and supports program activities of the surrounding community and downtown Raleigh. Movement through the park is a choreographed series of sustainable, physical, and cultural gestures. The new Moore Square is to be a community connector, physically, historically, and emotionally weaving cultures and generations, evoking a rich history and supporting a dynamic future.