As a legacy open space for the City of Charlotte, Independence Square was a space that long fell short of its urban promise. Yet, it held great potential to draw from the broader momentum and vibrancy of Charlotte’ ongoing renaissance. Agency led a team that took a fresh look at the park – how it worked, what needs it could meet differently in the future, what capital investments were the wisest next steps and how to manage it sustainably over the next decades.
Independence Square sits at the 100% corner – the urban center – of Charlotte, yet it fed little off the energy of the thriving audience around it. Designed by Angela Danadjieva, a landscape designer with her roots in theatrical set design, the then existing fountain provided a magic backdrop to an urban stage often devoid of performance.
A once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Center City Partners and the City of Charlotte, the design process cast a wide net, dreaming big for the park and its physical and programmatic evolution. We looked at both the community and park offerings – but also projected forward to understand demographic changes and associated programming and use potentials and trends. Our design brought forward new and experimental uses and ideas alongside tried-and-true programming potentials, capitalizing on Independence Square’s promise of a 24/7 downtown hub.
Our team included Kimley-Horn Associates, Fluidity Design Consultants, Amplify Consulting, the Cultural Landscape Foundation, RMF Engineering and Zaragunda.
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