Scheme in Louisville to include a giant stage structure made from dozens of glowing steel rods
Heatherwick Studio has unveiled its designs for the transformation of a civic space in the centre of Louisville in the US state of Kentucky.
Originally opened in 1973, the Belvedere plaza is a popular social gathering spot centrally located between Kentucky’s largest city’s commercial centre and the Ohio River.
Heatherwick Studio said the park had become disconnected from both the waterfront and the city over the years with the firm’s plans for the site aiming to reimagine it as a “new centre of gravity” for downtown Louisville.
Studio founder Thomas Heatherwick said: “For more than fifty years, the Belvedere has been a stage for public life in Louisville. But over time it’s become barren and disconnected from the energy of the city around it.
“My studio’s design is about restoring the buzz and sense of connection of its early years, by creating a greener, more welcoming urban heart, where everyday life can take place; from chance encounters and children’s play, to festivals, performances and community celebrations.
“Our goal is for the newly reimagined Belvedere to reflect Louisville’s unique character, and bring people together again across generations, backgrounds and interests, and go on to become a place that local people proudly call their own.”
The scheme is centred around a new civic structure called the Firefly Pavilion, inspired by Kentucky’s fireflies, which is intended both for everyday use and for large cultural events and performances.
The structure, composed of dozens of steel rods topped with glowing orbs behind a large stage, is the culmination of a proposed firefly-themed motif that includes the Firefly Path, a walking route lined by the same glowing steel rods.
The park will also be made greener with more trees and planting, places for play and areas of shade which will “bring glorious nature back into the heart of downturn”, according to Heatherwick Studio executive partner Stuart Wood.
“The ambition is to create a new civic heart for Louisville, where nature, culture and everyday life come together in a rejuvenated Belvedere,” he said, adding the park would become “a place for Louisville to come together, slow down, discover something unexpected – and follow the fireflies.”
Construction of Belvedere is expected to begin this autumn, with a grand opening anticipated in 2030.
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