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Shelby Farms Park Visitor Center seen at sunset featuring a large overhanging 'front porch' overlooking fresh-cut grass
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
The center seen at sunrise as bright golden light hits its glass windows
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Profile of the visitor center seen in daylight with a bright blue sky
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
A view looking towards the lake at night
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
SHELBY FARMS PARK
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Metal angular materials seen from a 45 degree corner of the building
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
A view of the aluminum bar grate wrapping the edges of the exterior as patrons relax in the shade
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
The structure of glass and aluminum bar grate materials contrasted with landscaping and cloudy blue sky
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
People on bikes gather by the center before a ride in the shade of the building
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Walkway-facing side of the center with metal and wooden accents during sunset as a couple sits on a bench by the front entrance
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Interior shot of the center's reception and large glass windows as visitors explore the grounds
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Custom wavy lighting feature overhands the modern gift shop comprised of painted wood, polished concrete, and large glass windows
SHELBY FARMS PARK Memphis, Tennessee (2016)
Shelby Farms Park visitor center interior photo of a man shopping for gifts
Marlon-Blackwell-Architects-Shelby-Farms-2-Gift-Shop-Angle-View_DV

Shelby Farms Park Visitor Center

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Project Information:

SHELBY FARMS PARK VISITOR CENTER
Memphis, Tennessee (2016)

Shelby Farms Park, the largest urban park in the country, has implemented a master plan, developed by James Corner Field Operations (JCFO), to revitalize the Park into a unique, 21st century park. An ensemble of buildings and structures is located around the 80 acre Patriot 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.

Centrally located, the Visitor Center is seemingly more porch than building and functions as a central meeting ground for the community. An elusive skin of aluminum bar grate gently filters sunlight while hinting at the architecture of industrial agriculture and allowing the humid Memphis air to drift in, slowly threshed by large fans hovering overhead.

Structural: Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical/Plumbing: Haltom Engineering
Electrical: Canup Engineering
Civil: Pickering
Landscape: James Corner Field Operations
Lighting: Renfro Design Group, Canup Engineering
Acoustics: Dr. Tahar Messadi
Geotechnical Engineer: Geotechnology
Contractor: Montgomery Martin Contractors

Project Awards:

2017:
+ Metal Architecture Design Award [Grand Award]
+ Memphis Business Journal Best New Construction Project (Large Projects)

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