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Covered seating in the shade as families eat by the water
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
Metal roofline of the covered seating structure
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
A view from the dock looking back at the Boathouse as people walk by
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
The Boathouse doors open as families to grab kayaks and dip into the water on a summer day
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
The stark metal Boathouse located along the water being used by park patrons as families on bike ride by
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
Families gather along the water next to a metal and wood angular building
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
Metal and wood profile of one of the Shelby Farms Park structures
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)
Shelby Farms Park structure opens to the lake beyond
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2017)

Shelby Farms Park Structures

Close Project

Shelby Farms Park, the largest urban park in the country, has implemented a master plan, developed by Field Operations (formerly James Corner Field Operations), to revitalize the Park into a unique, 21st century park. An ensemble of buildings and structures is located around the 80 acre Hyde Lake; together, the buildings, lake, and landscape are imaged as the “Heart of the Park.”

Marlon Blackwell Architects developed a unified architectural vision for the buildings, knitting the projects together across the broad park landscape with a shared material palette. Each building connects directly to the surrounding landscape and supports the rich experiences in Shelby Farms Park.

LOCATION / Memphis, Tennessee
BUILDING TYPE / Master Planning + New Construction
BUILDING SIZE / 4,500 acres + 3,960 GSF
COMPLETION DATE / August 2016
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH / Field Operations

AWARDS /
+ AIA National Honor Award for Regional & Urban Design [2019]
+ Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award [2018]
+ The Plan Award: Landscape [2018]
+ World Architecture Festival Finalist: Civic & Community [2018]
+ AIA Gulf States Honor Award [2018]
+ AIA Arkansas Honor Award [2018]
+ Metal Architecture Design Award [Grand Award] [2017]
+ Memphis Business Journal Best New Construction Project (Large Projects) [2017]

Marygrove Early Education Center

Marygrove Early Education Center

Lamplighter School Innovation Lab

Lamplighter School Innovation Lab

Heartland Whole Health Institute

Heartland Whole Health Institute

Ledger City Center

Ledger City Center

Crystal Bridges Eleven Servery & Coffee Bar

Crystal Bridges Eleven Servery & Coffee Bar

Thaden School Bike Barn

Thaden School Bike Barn

Thaden School Performance Building

Thaden School Performance Building

Shelby Farms Park Structures

Shelby Farms Park Structures

Shelby Farms Park Restaurant and Event Center

Shelby Farms Park Restaurant and Event Center

Thaden Reels exterior photo of it's angular modern structure at night

Thaden School Reels Building

Harvard ERC Hotel

Harvard ERC Hotel

Flyrite

Flyrite

The restaurant space showing a beautiful mix of materials of concrete masonry units and plywood

COOP Ramen

Lamplighter School Barn

Lamplighter School Barn

Harvey Pediatric Clinic red metal and glass profile shot looking across parking spots

Harvey Pediatric Clinic

Steven L. Anderson Design Center Exterior exterior made of Indiana limestone, architectural concrete, and fritted glass

University of Arkansas Steven L. Anderson Design Center

Shelby Farms Park Visitor Center seen at sunset featuring a large overhanging 'front porch' overlooking fresh-cut grass

Shelby Farms Park Visitor Center

The church exterior seen at night, made of a box rib metal panel and red cross that shines from the top of a tower

St. Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Church

Shaw Residence

Shaw Residence

The low-slung form of the pavilion, bathed in dappled light, hovering above the forest floor, acts as an apparition in the woods

Indianapolis Museum of Art Visitors Pavilion

Tanglewood Cabin

Tanglewood Cabin

Montessori Elementary entrance at night

Fayetteville Montessori Elementary Building

Keenan Tower House lit up at night as it towers over trees in the forest

Keenan TowerHouse

Graphic House

Graphic House

Exterior shot of the glass window walls and metal structure seen at sundown

Fayetteville High School

Blessings Golf Clubhouse seen at dusk lit from inside looking over the cut grass

Blessings Golf Clubhouse

PORCHDOG PROTOTYPE, Biloxi, Mississippi (2009)

Porchdog

Montessori Primary, Fayetteville, Arkansas (2014)

Fayetteville Montessori Primary Building

A wooden floors, walls, and ceilings look out through glass at the concrete museum

Crystal Bridges Museum Store

The building's exterior lit from inside at dusk during a rainstorm

Gentry Public Library

Bella Vista Library

Bella Vista Library

L - Stack House, Fayetteville, Arkansas (2006)

L-Stack House

Interior airy wooden seating area below second flow overlooks with white ceiling and natural lighting

Northwest Arkansas Free Health Center

A view of the buildings beautiful white exoskeleton and night with lights shining from inside

Srygley Office Building

The Fulbright Building

The Fulbright Building

Moore HoneyHouse lit from inside at night with glowing jars of honey shining brightly through the glass

Moore Honeyhouse