The Shops at Park Lane

A challenge for the design team was to create a comfortable outdoor space for year-round use, specifically considering hot North Texas summers. Additionally, children visiting the area needed to have a buffer and a flexible space to keep them away from the adjacent roadways on the east and west sides. The team was also challenged to specify plants to accommodate heavy pedestrian use and, for the green roof, survive and flourish as part of an extensive roof system that could withstand the Texas summers and drought.

Solution

The project team activated the Park Lane development with the incorporation of a ½-acre urban plaza surrounded by restaurants and retail on all 4 sides. The urban open space was sited on the east side of a 4-story office building, providing shade from the hot afternoon sun. Additionally, a bosque of trees was incorporated along with 5 water walls to provide a cooling environment for pedestrians. A live oak anchors the lawn area and provides shade for visitors. In order to create a child-friendly space, the flexible lawn was made safe through design interventions such as the use of planting barriers on the west side adjacent to a curbless road, as well as grade changes and a series of water walls on the east side. The durability and resiliency of the green roof planting was assured by specifying native and drought-tolerant plants.

• The at-grade interactive water features, water walls, and central lawn area create a destination for families with children. Program elements that are geared toward children, such as the linear water feature with spray jets at the north end of the central lawn, generate a longer duration of stay for visitors, economically benefiting the adjacent retail and restaurant areas. 
• The central lawn and green roof system reduce impervious coverage by replacing the previous surface parking lot.
• The extensive green roof system, which covers 56% of the roof of the one-story cafe building, is composed of 6-in deep modular trays planted with blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis), Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), and woolly stemodia (Stemodia lenata). The green roof provides stormwater control and reduces heat on the rooftop in comparison with typical urban roof types and also provides aesthetic value to the adjacent residential and office development.
• 23 plant species are planted on the green roof and in landscape areas, 4 of which are Texas native species. 
• 5 tiered granite fountains frame the east side of the plaza, conveying a much-needed sense of physical and psychological relief from the hot Texas sun while also mitigating vehicular traffic noise from the adjacent street.
• A mix of permanent and movable furniture seating for up to 50 people is located on the restaurant and cafe patios, with additional movable furniture and lawn seating in the central plaza. The use of movable furniture optimizes opportunities for social activity, interaction, and programmed events/entertainment.
• Light-reflective stone and concrete pavement mitigates urban heat island effect and produces less heat during hot sunny days in comparison with other materials such as asphalt.

A traditional roof would have cost approximately $20 per sf, and the cafe’s extensive green roof cost an additional $35 per sf. This increased cost was taken on to spur the economic success of the project and provide other benefits. The mixed-use buildings adjacent to the plaza are 100% occupied, and the cafe is one of the highest revenue-generating stores in the region, indicating a potential connection between investments in landscape and positive economic outcome.

• Although green roof systems are desirable and sustainable design responses as compared to traditional roof systems, their use in some instances, especially on shops with outdoor seating, may have unintended consequences for the users. The incorporation of drip irrigation instead of a spray head irrigation system on extensive roof gardens not only reduces water consumption but also mitigates any overspray to pedestrians and users below on the ground level.
• Strong development strategy and management is a key to success. The ½-acre plaza with its newly-added human-scale buildings creates a desirable outdoor room and a destination within the development that was previously perceived as megalithic and soulless. Engaging the landscape architecture team early in the site planning process, and strategic siting of the plaza along with the new buildings created the necessary orientation and human scale to provide a comfortable outdoor environment for visitors. As a result, the space can be programmed year-round, adding value to the community’s experience of the mixed-use development.
• The inclusion of open space can almost be considered a prerequisite to successful mixed-use development. This open space in particular has become the heart of the Park Lane development. Third places like the plaza create economic gains, social density, quality of amenities, and enhance the quality of life for local and surrounding communities.

Stone: Cactus Canyons Quarries, Coldspring Granite, DAL-Tile, WAUSAU Tile Inc.
Lighting: Bill Galvin Architectural Lighting Associates
Edging: JD Russel Co.
Concrete: Davis Colors
Drains: NDS, ACO
Pavers: Pavestone, WAUSAU Tile Inc.
Furniture: Landscape Forms, Quickcrete
Drainage material: TremCo Global, Invisible Structures
Grass Pavers: Grass Pave2 by Invisible Structures

Project Team

Client: Northwood Retail
Landscape Architect: TBG Partners
Structural and Civil Engineer: Raymond L. Goodson
MEP Design-Build: Brandt Companies
Contractor: Beck Company
Water Feature Contractor: inCon-trol Corporation
Architect: Gensler – Houston
Irrigation Consultant: Seth Heidman
Extensive Roof Garden Consultant: David Hopman
Landscape Contractor: American Landscape Systems

Role of the Landscape Architect

The landscape architect was contracted directly by the owner and was charged to design and develop a central hub within the existing mixed-use development to provide a community gathering space for shoppers, families, and residents. The landscape architect led the design of the streetscape, pedestrian plaza / vehicular drive, multiple dynamic fountains, the event lawn, and the artful extensive roof system.