Wallace Design Collective

Guthrie Green is a new 2.76-acre urban park in the center of the historic Tulsa Arts District. Formerly the site of a trucking company and shipping yard, the new park contributes to the pedestrian-friendly character and active street life of the emerging arts district. The Green offers venues for community gatherings including farmers markets, outdoor performances, art exhibits and fitness classes. The park features a huge green space called the Brady Lawn, as well as a cafe, pavilion, performance space, water features, gardens and a public marketplace.

The modern deco design features a diverse selection of landscaping that includes gardens with native plants and trees, connected by a network of brick and concrete paths. The park is intended to serve the community in several ways and is part of the effort to revitalize Tulsa’s downtown, as well as serving as a landmark for the historic Brady Arts District. The park is designed for implementing true GREEN energy-efficient design practices.

Sustainable features include LED pedestrian lighting and a 600-ton cooling capacity geothermal well field, which serves the park, the new Philbrook Downtown, and The Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa Hardesty Arts Center. A solar-paneled pavilion provides a renewable energy source for the geothermal system.

The $8-million park was built with Vision 2025 funds, Kaiser Family Foundation funds and other grant money. It was built within an 11-month schedule that experienced several challenges.

Photos: © 2012 Jonnu Singleton/SWA