After years of separating the Providence River from the rest of the city, the relocation of the I-195 highway and the opening of the 195 District Park in 2019 have reunited the east and west sides of the river. Situated in the heart of Providence’s flourishing 195 District, the park functions as a community gathering space, attracting numerous daily visitors through its public programming and private events throughout the year.
In 2022, 195 District proposed the addition of a 3,500-square-foot facility featuring year-round dining, public restrooms, and support space for park operations. The Pavilion is intended to activate the park throughout the year, provide an amenity for park users and the surrounding community, and support the 195 District’s economic development objectives.
Agency led the landscape design, seamlessly integrating the park with the Pavilion designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), the prime consultant and architectural lead. The collective design strategy is to draw and orient visitors to the park, whether arriving from the Jewelry District, Downtown Providence, or the nearby Van Leesten Memorial Pedestrian Bridge. Nested seating around the Pavilion creates a comfortable, sheltered, and intimate place for park visitors to linger. Carefully curated material and planting palettes enrich and diversify the park experience and sense of scale. A green roof integrates the building with the park landscape and minimizes stormwater runoff. The Pavilion encourages year-round gathering and use of the park as an accessible place to eat and drink, supporting the local economy and inviting the public to create new memories here.
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