Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes Wethny Antoine, Awa Cheraghali, Rainer Danforth, Luis Delgadillo, Donna Ferreira, Zachary Allen Flowers, Christian Alvarado Perdomo, Namiko Randall, Crystal Robinson, Kenneth Wainaina, Edwin Ward, Garry Williams ARCH408 Studio University of Maryland, College Park Professor Ronit Eisenbach Chuen-Chi Loh, Teaching Asst. May 2023 Landscape Architecture Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes PALS - Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability An initiative of the National Center for Smart Growth Gerrit Knaap, NCSG Executive Director Kim Fisher, PALS Director Ronit Eisenbach, Professor of Architecture, Director Creative Placemaking Minor Chuen-Chi Loh, Teaching Assistant, MArch Candidate, Spring 2024 Special thanks to Professor Patrick Warfield, Music History, University of Maryland Professor Byeong-Suk and Fall 2022 Landscape Architecture Studio, University of Maryland Sonja Ewing, Tonya Hedgepath, Don Herring, Ivy Thompson, Kaliah Lewis, M-NCPPC Content Introduction The Creative Placemaking Studio History Methods Projects Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes Introduction Stories are created by people and events in place. Some stories and events are remembered and repeated by individuals and society, some are not. How are events and places intertwined? Which stories are told? Which are not? And why? How do we retell these stories? How do we keep them in conversation with other more visible histories? In many instances, the stories that complicate our understanding of place, his/her/stories of women, African Americans, indigenous peoples are not elevated, and often erased. This creative placemaking architecture studio explored these questions at Wilmer’s Park, in Brandywine, Maryland, a former music and entertainment venue that catered to the African American population during Jim Crow when segregation laws separated white and black communities. The goal is to leverage the power of arts, culture, and creativity to support vibrant and sustainable communities. In this project, students created “Dreamscapes,” imagining what could be, by tapping into this cultural landscape to spark conversation about the park’s future. The students’ research and the Dreamscapes will be used by Prince George’s County planners at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) for scenario planning and community outreach to determine how best to move forward with redevelopment of the historic site as a public park, tourist attraction, and cultural center. The questions for students, the planners, and the community are How does one tell the story of a place? How can one build upon this cultural landscape and renew it for the next generation? In planning the future, how does one acknowledge the needs and desires of the community that is now there? This project may be extended to future student groups who will support the development of on-site materials. The studio work is part of a continuum, shifting the memory of a place, and an understanding of its history, and in the case of Wilmer’s Park, helping plant seeds from the past for the future. The Creative Placemaking Studio In this interdisciplinary minor, students engage in place-based projects in partnership with local creatives, culture bearers and knowledge keepers. The program imbues students with expertise that allows them to advance a community’s vision and nurture vibrant, socially responsive, and equitable places. Students learn how artists and designers can play a vital role in advancing public dialogue, exploring our shared humanity, and addressing some of major challenges, whether it be sparking conversations about racial injustice, inequitable development, climate change or celebrating the diverse communities and cultures around us. This minor currently offers two tracks: one focusing on architecture and spatial practice and the other on the visual arts. Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes History As recounted on the M-NCPPC website, “Wilmer’s Park was constructed as a leisure destination beginning in the 1950s and comprised a restaurant, dancehall, overnight accommodations, Wilmer’s residence, two outdoor stages, two open- air dining pavilions, and recreation areas that included a baseball field and a children’s playground. The site was active from the mid-1950s through the early 1990s. Wilmer’s Park was a rural venue on the Chitlin’ Circuit, the national network that brought African-American performers to African-American audiences during Jim Crow. The circuit began in the 1930s and ended with the waning of Jim Crow and the gradual racial integration of places of public accommodation. The Park featured prominent performers during an important period in American music when African-American musicians developed blues and invented rock- and-roll. Wilmer’s Park is a rare example and survivor of a Chitlin’ Circuit venue that was in a rural location, included outdoor recreation and included overnight accommodations for performers and other guests. The Park is significant in the statewide context of Jim Crow and segregated public accommodations in Maryland. Wilmer’s Park is probably also significant in the national context of the Chitlin’ Circuit networks of performers, and urban and rural venues throughout the United States.” Wilmers’ Park fit into the Chitlin’ Circuit, a national network that brought African- American performers to African-American audiences during Jim Crow. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Otis Reading and many others performed and played here. Gifted to the County, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is working to a plan for its future. Method The first step was a site visit, but without M-CPPC’s historical information, the abandoned park would not have yielded its stories. Nature has taken over and the buildings are abandoned and crumbling. Students documented what they saw: derelict buildings, overgrown fields, the sounds of birds. Their “video portraits” combined what they saw and what they later learned. Students also researched the history of segregation, the Park’s musical legacy and spaces, and case studies of relevant cultural and arts-based projects. Students created a video site-portrait that included their research on the history of Wilmer's Park and the Jim Crow era, followed by precedent studies from which they drew inspiration. Students were then asked to dream, to select an existing photo and overlay it with ideas for what could be, based on their onsite sketches and photographs. Their dreams include pop-up performances and festivals to test ideas and build community support; a new sign and welcoming road, billboard sized vintage posters, a musical road and a farmers’ market; an arrival area and central gathering space; places to play, an auditory path and a revitalized central cultural core. The works tapped into this cultural landscape and envisioned a park that celebrated African American legacy. Wilmer’s Park Dreamscapes 15710 Brandywine Road, Brandywine, Prince George’s County, MD PALS Spring Showcase | May 11th, 2023 FRAMING Wilmer’s Legacy During its heyday, a restaurant, dance hall, motel and apartments formed the core of the park. Our embodied memories are often our strongest connections to place, smells, sounds, experiences and building forms. Could outlining the masses of the historic structures recall the past and frame a new cultural center? In this scheme, the motel is now an open-air museum telling the stories of the park during segregation, the restaurant offers updated Southern food, an open-air gathering, performance space is built on the dance hall’s footprint with music piped in from new recording studios housed in the revamped apartments underneath. Wilmer’s Walking Trail Imagine an interactive path for all encircling the park that provides multiple ways to engage with and learn about this cultural landscape as one walks. The route includes a musical playground; a revitalized baseball field with images of the black men and women players whose games began a day at Wilmer’s woven into the backstop, and a listening sections- complete with vintage cars, where one can sit inside to hear old tunes, and a place to pause and listen the songs of birds and wind. Stories are created by people and events in place. Some stories and events are re/membered and repeated by individuals and society, some are not. How are events and places intertwined? Which stories are told? Which are not? And why? How do we retell these stories? How do we keep them in conversation with other more visible histories? This creative placemaking architecture studio explores these questions at Wilmer’s Park, in Brandywine, Maryland, a former music and entertainment venue that catered to the African American population during the Jim Crow laws when segregation laws separated whites from black. Students created "Dreamscapes" imagining what could be, tapping into this cultural landscape to spark conversation about what this park could be. The student research and Dreamscapes will be used by the county’s planners for scenario planning and community outreach to determine how best to move forward with development of the historic site as a public park, tourist attraction and cultural center Methodology We began with a site visit. Without the information shared by the M-NCPPC staff, the abandoned park would have not yielded its stories. Nature has taken over, the buildings abandoned and crumbling. Students documented what they saw — derelict buildings, overgrown fields, the sounds of birds. Their “video portraits” combined what they saw and what they later learned getting at this issue. Students conducted research into the history of segregation, the park’s musical legacy and spaces, and case studies of relevant cultural and arts-based projects. They were then invited to dream- to select an existing photo and overlay it with ideas for what could be. And dreamed they did… of pop-up performances and festivals to test ideas and build community support; a new sign and welcoming road, employing billboard sized vintage posters, a musical road and a farmers market; an arrival area and central gathering space; places to play, an auditory path and a revitalized central cultural core. Abstract ARCH408 Placemaking Studio Acknowledgements Patrick Warfield, Professor of Music History Prof. Byeong-Suk, and the Fall ‘22 Landscape Architecture Studio M-NCPPC, staff: Sonja Ewing. Tonya Hedgepath, Don Herring, Ivy Thompson and Kaliah Lewis Credits Ronit Eisenbach, Professor of Architecture, Director Creative Placemaking Minor Chuen-Chi Loh, Teaching Assistant, MArch Candidate S‘24 Theatre on the Fly Chichester, UK, 2012 Motown Museum Detroit, MI, 1985 - Present Wilmer’s Park Site Visit History ResearchLectures Video Portrait Case Studies Before new studios new restaurant Student Awa Cheraghali, Christian Alvarado Perdomo, Crystal Robinson, Donna Ferreira, Edwin Ward, Garry Williams, Kenneth Wainaina, Luis Delgadillo, Namiko Randall, Rainer Danforth, Wethny Antoine, Zachary Allen Flowers Landscape Architecture Projects Feel the Beat at Wilmer’s Park Bus stop, Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD This bus stop supports a busy community on a busy street. It addresses the need for a protective structure in a way that sparks joy. Musical Road Lancaster, California The Musical Road reinvents a common driving experience by adjusting the amplitude and frequency of divots in the road to give them tonality.. Revitalization Approach This project proposes revitalizing the entrance of Wilmer’s Park to enhance community engagement. The proposed picket fence reflects the site’s rural environment, and its bright colors draw attention to the park. The farmer’s market will host local vendors, an open-air eating and gathering space, and a stage for live music. Inspirations Wilmer’s Park StoryFrames ARCH408 | S23 | Placemaking Studio Edwin Ward, Zachary Allen Flowers Entry View from Brandywine Rd Entry View from Wilmer's Park before before Farmer’s Market Interior Farmers Market View from Road Farmer’s Market Detail F A R M E R S M A R K E T Play & Play Before - Isolated Stage After - Full Perpective Dreamscape Before - Full Perspective Theatre on the Fly Pop-up seasonal event Better Blocks - Dublin Pop-up seasonal event Wilmer’s Park StoryFrames ARCH408 | S23 | Placemaking Studio Ray Danforth, Kenneth Wainaina Our goal with Play & Play was to draw in the community through pop-up events and structures to test out ideas for the future. We designed play structures for children and performance spaces for cover bands to pay homage to the historic performances that took place at Wilmer’s Park throughout the 1960’s until the 1990s. Our vibrant colorful pathway and seating area was inspired by the work of Better Blocks, a firm that creates pop-ups events and transform’s unused spaces. We imagine the families who will enjoy this space while they listen to live music watch their kids play and enjoy the food trucks on site. The redesign of our specific site area was intended to build the community’s excitement and involvement for the reopening of Wilmer’s Park in the future. In Fall of ’22, community members wrote about their memories of and dreams for Wilmer’s Park on postcards made by other students. After reviewing those comments, we sought to satisfy the wishes of Wilmer’s Park visitors from the past who recalled with fondness the family gatherings, music and fun that they had once enjoyed. Case Studies Kit of Parts - Kids Play Equipment Kids Play Equipment Dreamscape This dreamscape was inspired by Wilmer Park’s history of musical concerts, sports activities, and the Theater on the Fly case study. Easily assembled pop-up structures can be placed anywhere on the site for children to play on. In this instance the pieces are arranged in a baseball diamond to highlight Wilmer Park’s historical baseball league. Site Plan Proposed Areas Their color was inspired by a historic concert poster. Pop-up play structures can be used to draw the attention of and participation of the community and test out ideas for permanent designs and uses. SCULPTURAL BACKDROP Backdrop Assembly Process Initial Design Concept ProcessWilmer’s Park Storyframes ARCH408 | S23 | Placemaking Studio Kenneth Wainaina Wilmer’s Park is an 80-acre rural parcel in North Brandywine, Maryland. It is a historical place, owned by Arthur Wilmer, that is important to the local community that remembers the park. The memories of events that took place during and after the segregation of people of color in America still resonate. This park once had a tobacco barn, dance hall, ranch house, restaurant, five apartments, covered stage, and baseball and football fields. This proposal concentrates on the baseball dia- mond located in the southeast part of the site. It hosted Negro League teams in the 1950s. The intention is to breathe life into the game by incorporating a “sculptural backstop” structure. This will market the game of baseball at Wilmer’s and will encourage other social-economic activities that benefit the local community. Site Context Focus Area Sculptural Backdrop Rendered Views The proposed sculptural backdrops have hexagonal shaped facades made of recycled customized carbon fiber that is easy assemble and dismantle, all weather, durable and cost effective. It will be assembled on the baseball field through a series of interlinked panels in different sizes and shapes but flawlessly interlock. The field is surrounded by a series of assembled sculptural backdrops that also serve as a social spaces. Baseball fans can hangout, socialize, and operate small businesses in the corridors while the games are underway. Local Negro baseball league games and other social activities were common at Wilmer’s Park during segregation in America. Baseball History The proposed area for constructing the new baseball diamond. It is the same spot where Negro League games were held during segregation. Panels are made of different sizes & shapes Panel 1 Panel 2 Panel 3 Panel 4 Newbern Baseball Club - Alabama This sculptural backstop made of chain link hung from suspended wires is a good example of how the former baseball field at Wilmer’s Park can be designed structurally to add beauty and attraction to the space and to support an armature of social and economic activities between on-field and off-field spaces. Dreamscape - Diamond Baseball Field Proposal Study Case 1 Perspective View Top View Fully Assembled Panels Site - After Site - Before FLOOR PLAN BEFORE (EXISTING CONDITIONS) CASE STUDY 1 COLORS OF WILMER’S PARK Wilmer’s Park StoryFrames ARCH408 | S23 | Placemaking Studio Luis Delgadillo and Donna Ferreira Wilmer’s Park is full of old memories. Our mission is to create a place that provides new spaces for the community to hold new events and build new memories. We propose a new plaza, inspired by the vintage poster ads that brought attention and people to the park. The overlapping composition of the posters informed the overlapping areas of the plaza, which we manipulated in different iterations, placing shapes in ways that introduced connections between different parts of the park. The colors used in the plaza’s paving also derives from the poster ads. During Wilmer’s Park’s prime, the poster styles became iconic for inviting people to similarly themed venues where all people could perform as artists and enjoy as patrons. The poster companies would use an inking technique that made colors pop, the same intention we have for this plaza. It should act as a poster ad—catching people’s attention and inviting them to explore different areas and activities at the park. The stage that was next to the restaurant could be repurposed as a flexible event stage, but designed in to also act as a wayfinding landmark within the park. Visitors might gather to see a performance, view an arranged art gallery, or simply sit and enjoy the park. The plaza’s program is flexible. When you enter the park, a main event at the plaza would be the first thing you see. But even without an event, the plaza is an opportunity to discover the different stories that Wilmer’s Park has to offer. CASE STUDY 2 10,000 SUNS - PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND CHICANO PARK - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA DIAGRAMS + PROCESS SKETCHES 1: MUSICIAN LANDMARK (IN PLACE OF STAGE) BRANDYWINE RD 1 ENTRANCE OLD BASEBALL FIELD NEW FRAMED DANCE HALL + OUTDOOR AMPITHEATRE DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLIN DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKEDUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON DUKE ELLINGTON AFTER (DREAMSCAPE) DIAGRAM: FRAMES INFORMING PATHS INSIPARTIONS PERSPECTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 1 MAIN GATHERING AREA 2 SECONDARY GATHERING AREA 3 L INEAR CONNECTING PATHS 4 DANCE HALL (SITE 5) 5 TREES 6 MUSICIANS LANDMARK 6 A A A B B A: PERMEABLE PAVING B: FREEFORM BENCHES Wilmer’s Walking Trail Lions Park Richard Sierra Sculptures Wilmer’s Park StoryFrames ARCH408 | S23 | Placemaking Studio Namiko Randall, Garry Williams, Awa Cheraghali Wilmer’s Park, now a quiet place where the plants and animals have taken over, used to be a crowded venue that drew visitors from hours away. The park opened in early 1950s to African American musicians, performers, and baseball teams. It hosted a wide variety of music including hippie, rock, metal, and more. The culturally rich place found a way to cater to diverse people, and diverse music types. In doing so, the history of music at this park is large. At a new trail installation, we propose to bring visitors of all backgrounds, ages, and interests to historical spots such as the restaurant, where they will learn about the food through interactive play; the baseball field, where they can learn about the players and other performers (and be able to play baseball games); and the large outdoor field, where they can listening to the music performed here and play instruments themselves. These activities along the trail will educate about the park’s history of musical diversity, about the baseball league, and about the amenities provided to visitors during the park’s peak. Along this journey, part of the walk is dedicated to nature, quietness, and reflection that can be enjoyed by everyone, especially those who enjoy nature, animals, and a breath of fresh air. Goals Create an interactive site Provide different ways to learn about local and national history Provide spaces for all ages and interests Backstop Spotlight Backstop Trail Stretch 10,000 Suns Cimbalom Circle 1 2 3 4 5 6 Section 1 - Food / interactional pathway Section 2 - Baseball Field Revolving Exhibit Section 3 - Auditory walk at open field and woods Ca se S tu dy To learn about the musical history, visitors can hop into a car listening station and “listen to the radio” choosing music from various time periods of the park. The cars pay tribute to the vehicles that were parked on this field for concerts, shows, camping, and other events when the park was popular. At night, the cars support a stationary Drive-in Theatre, where concert movies are showcased. 4 Food/Interactional Pathway - The interactional pathway provides engagement for people of all ages and a place for the community to come together interact, play and and create sounds from the installations that make people feel relaxed or spontaneous. There also spaces for food trucks to park so people can enjoy the local cuisine. 1 Backstop Trail Stretch - Provides a lounge area on the other side of the pathway that the Baseball field is on. It has mobile seating. so people can sit and share their experiences and there also baseball bats that can serve as mini vertical gardens. Backstop Spotlight Area - This space is an area behind the baseball field’s backstop where visitors can learn about important players in the Negro league’s history including players that played at Wilmer’s Park field. There is also a mobile installation to create art to decorate the backstop with portraits of these historical baseball figures. There is mobile seating made in the form of baseball gloves and bases placed down on the path to emphasize the feel of the baseball field. 2 3 To learn about the musical history, visitors can hop into a car listening station and “listen to the radio” choosing music from various time periods of the park. The cars pay tribute to the vehicles that were parked on this field for concerts, shows, camping, and other events when the park was popular. 4 5 6 7 Interactive instruments invite visitors to make music, as the artists did when the park was open. This auditory trail section takes visitors on a journey of sounds/music-making reflecting on nature and silence. This transition mirrors the park’s history, from concert venue to a quiet and peaceful park. Listen to Nature - Visitors will be able to listen to the sounds of nature in the carefully curated natural section. Pollinator gardens, birdwatching walls, trees, and bushes all contribute to the sounds of nature. This nature sections mirrors the sate of the park today where the wines have take over the structure and the animals roam free on the land. Silence in Sculpture - This sculpture, because its thickness and material, reflect sounds, making the interior more quiet than the outside. The silence is a great place to reflect on ones self. On the parks history, or anything else. BEFORE Side view of the complex as it is today. One entered the vaulted dance hall through the restaurant. Apartments were tucked under the hall. A contemporary photograph of the once vibrant restaurant, motel, and dance hall complex which once anchored the park. Motown Museum Celebrates the history of the Motown sound with the original studios serving as a museum and a new addition for outreach programs. Theater on the Fly This temporary, pop-up installation at the Chichester Theater Festival is built by community members to house annual performances. CASE STUDY 2 BEFORE CASE STUDY 1 SITE PLAN 22 6 196 184 214 218 218 226 182 202 202 220 216 214 212 222 18 2 206 17 4 21 8 222 194 188 210 202 210 202 20 6 20 8 214 198 206 196 206 22 6 192 190 198 194 204 18 6 224 204 196 216 208 212 198 230 186 20 8 226 226 214 198 20 8 218 18 8 184 224 21 6 224 214 206 21 6 190 228 226 18 8 218 16 0 216 216 226 21 2 198 18 6 19 0 224 214 198 196 226 228 220 19 2 21 6 216 202 216 21 2 188 202 21 0 21 0 216 19 4 216 198 19 0 200 184 208 198 216 19 2 19 6 222 212 214 210 208 214 196 20 8 19 4 210 214 194 19 8 172 220 162 19 6 19 2 228 208 19 0 224 18 8 16 4 216 198 18 2 18 6 218 18 4 206 20 0 18 2 200 218 20 0 204 196 180 198 19 0 194 188 202 192 18 6 178 214 212 226 184 17 6 20 0 202 20 2 204 212 174 224 224 216 202 186 210 214 166 21 4 168 210 17 6 216 21 2 222 212 226 220 176 220 180 182 184 178 186 188 210 188 190 210 192 204 216 194 208 218 190 19 6 214 198 206 192 17 8 17 0 216 210 21 0 19 4 172 228 17 4 180 20 0 20 2 21 2 19 6 20 8 224 19 8 200 202 214 20 4 204 20 6 226 206 20 8 212 0 200 400100 Feet P. 97 P. 73 P. 35 P. 74 P. 82 P. 14 9 P. 48 P. 5 BRANDYWINE 381 W ilm er 's Pa rk M -N CP PC 20 0 Fe et Sc al e: Ë Le ge nd Pa rk Bo un da ry Pr op er ty Li ne s W ilm er 's Pa rk 19 65 Ae ria l M ap Pa rk Pl an ni ng an d De ve lo pm en t/G IS Se ct ion Original Site Plan Site Plan Location Framing Wilmer’s Legacy Wilmer’s Park StoryFrames ARCH408| S23 | Placemaking Studio Christian Alvarado, Crystal Robinson, Wethny Antoine Wilmer’s Park was an entertainment venue on the “Chitlin Circuit.” During the Jim Crow era, African American musicians, such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Otis Redding, and many others, toured the country performing in venues where they weren’t allowed to eat or sleep, and where black audiences could not attend the shows. Entrepreneurs, like Mr. Wilmer, created alternative venues where these musicians were offered hospitality and could perform for black audiences. Since the park’s closing in the early 2000s, the property has been in decline. But while the buildings have fallen into disrepair, memories of its cultural significance lives on in the people who experienced it and the music that was played there. In imagining the park’s future, we sought to bridge the past and the present by extending this cultural legacy and keeping those memories alive. We considered the tactile and spatial experiences that visitors may have had at the park and chose to build new spaces on the buildings’ original footprints that we hope will trigger recollections. Inspired by case studies, we wish to locally source and reuse materials for new construction to honor the local history and labor embedded in them. The old motel rooms will be transformed into exhibit spaces that visually frame the gathering space beyond, integrating the stories of the past with present experience. An iconic mural created by local artists would recreate the original restaurant on the façade of the former Wilmer’s restaurant. The former apartments would become recording studios where visitors can create a new Wilmer’s Park sound. Tubes connecting the recording studios to the dance hall would let sound travel up into the gathering space and bring light down into the studios. The Artist’s Residence is a new addition to support a new generation of musicians by showcasing their talent. Through our proposal, we aim to create a new cultural community center that adds to Wilmer’s Park’s legacy. Marco Cross-Out Perspective of Existing Building & intact depiction of the restaurant, dancehall, and apartments. Axon Showing the Programmed use of the individual spaces A gallery for the park would be created by a minimal wooden wire-frame outlining the original motel spatial structure. This defined outdoor area would showcase artwork and share the park’s history. As the sun moves across the sky the shadows of this ghost structure fall upon the surface, marking time and reminding us of the past. Moveable walls allow for a dynamic and ever-changing gallery experience. Recalling the apartments that housed the musicians back in the heyday of the park, a new Artists’ Residence building will offer artists a place to stay on site to develop their skills, use the recording studios, and give performances for all. Front Facade Main entrance to the restaurant has a mural painted on front facade that is made by volunteering community members to establish sense of community ownership. The Gallery’s panels would be hung with artwork from the different eras of Wilmer’s Park, (see section BB). Movable panels offer flexibility for outdoor recreational events. Diagrams show gallery panels in different configurations. FRONT FACADE (1) The restaurant’s renewed front facade features a community- made mural inspired by the mural in the original restaurant’s interior. Our vision is for local artists and volunteers to create new art and foster community ownership and involvement in the space. A new plaza would connect to the entry. The building’s program is color- coded and shown in the axonometric view (left). FLOOR PLAN Dancehall/Gathering Space Restaurant/Kitchen Studio Rooms Gallery Space Artist Residencies GALLERY SPACE (2) ARTISTS RESIDENCIES 1 2 3 AA BB Kitchen Restaurant Dancehall Gallery Space Courtyard Amphitheater Site Plan Location A night view from the outdoor stage toward the amphitheater seating and new cultural center, highlights the integration of gallery space, restaurant, and dance hall within the park’s programming. AMPHITHEATER (3) TRANSVERSE SECTION ( AA) LONGITUDINAL SECTION (BB) A renewed Wilmer’s Park would offer studio rooms open to the public, a dance hall and a full restaurant. The repurposed space—studio rooms, a dance hall, restaurant, gallery space, and artist residences—used to their fullest potential. SEATING STAGE RESTAURANT STUDIOS DANCE HALL GALLERY SPACE 60s70s80s90s ERA TIMELINE ARTISTS RESIDENCIES STUDIO ROOMS KITCHEN Making Place: Framing Stories Wilmer's Park Dreamscapes Video edited by David Dowling Introduction & The Creative Placemaking Studio History & Method Board for PALS Spring Showcase 2023 Project - Feel the Beat Project - Play & Play Project - Scruptural Backdrop Project - Colors of Wilmer's Park Project - Wilmer's Walking Trail Project - Framing Wilmer's Legacy Video