The story of this project is one of reclamation. It’s not just about the replacing an illegal dumping site, where a mountain of shingles grew to be six-stories tall in a residential neighborhood call Floral Farms - it’s about reclaiming the neighborhood’s identity as a vibrant, idyllic agricultural neighborhood.
The Dallas neighborhood of Floral Farms existed long before Shingle Mountain. Since the 1950s, it was a place for families of color to escape to the countryside. Unfortunately, unfair zoning practices led to the introduction of heavy industry in the area – and Shingle Mountain was the culmination of decades of environmental injustice.
Before pen touches paper, it was important for the design team to listen to neighbors, who had long been ignored by the city. Through a series of iterative bilingual community engagement sessions, the neighbors' vision began to materialize.
The driving design concept for the park is a ribbon-of-play that integrates the neighbors' needs into a singular, united form. It provides a walking path for community members to decompress after long hours at work while integrating seating, shade, and even moments of play for children to discover along the way. Most importantly, the ribbon reclaims Floral Farms’ identity— the bright ribbon arches at the entrance to welcome from across the city to Floral Farms.
By designing the park come together – it will serve as a reminder that together with the community, rather than for the community, it will be more than a place for people to, we can move mountains.
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We are very happy to offer support so please don’t hesitate to email Georgia Baily with any questions at georgia.baily@haymarket.com.