Join AIA Cleveland, APA Cleveland, and ASLA Ohio for Parkitecture: Spring Edition, a seasonal exploration of architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and nature in one of the Cleveland Metroparks’ most historic landscapes. This program will be held at Garfield Reservation and is timed to coincide with one of Northeast Ohio’s most beautiful seasonal moments—the blooming of the redbud trees.
The program will begin at 10:00 AM on the terrace of the new Program Center, where participants will gather around the firepit for a relaxed meet and greet with light breakfast foods and coffee while connecting with colleagues from across the architecture, planning, and landscape architecture communities.
From there, we will head outside for a guided walk around the restored pond and surrounding trails with a Metroparks naturalist. As we experience the early signs of spring emerging across the landscape, from blooming redbuds to seasonal changes in plant and wildlife activity, members of the Metroparks planning and landscape architecture team will discuss the design and planning of the site. The walk will highlight how ecological restoration, trail design, and landscape planning shape the experience of the park while supporting habitat and environmental health.
The program will conclude inside the Program Center with a discussion led by members of the Cleveland Metroparks planning and design team. They will share the story of Garfield Park’s transformation, from its origins as a city park designed by Ernest Bowditch in the spirit of the Olmsted picturesque tradition to its evolution as part of the Cleveland Metroparks system, and discuss the design of the restored pond, trails, and the new Program Center built on the foundation of the historic boathouse.
Blending architecture, landscape design, planning, ecology, and seasonal experience, Parkitecture offers a unique opportunity to learn from the professionals who shape our parks while enjoying one of the most beautiful times of year in Northeast Ohio. The program will conclude at approximately 12:30 PM.