Crescent Park | EskewDumezRipple

Part of a larger master plan that envisions a new, greener future for the City of New Orleans and its riverfront, Crescent Park was designed to reconnect people with the river and transform the remnants of the city’s industrial and maritime past into a verdant, accessible, community asset. The project was sparked by Hurricane Katrina as an unprecedented opportunity to reevaluate a languishing stretch of waterfront and to supplement New Orleans’ unique character, unusual street grid, and historic architecture with visionary yet practical and contemporary sustainable design.

The Park grants unparalleled physical and visual access to the river, creating an environment for locals and visitors to interact and promote a healthy, active lifestyle with unrivaled vistas of the city skyline and the picturesque Crescent City Connection Bridge. This 1.4-mile linear park includes 20-acres of indigenous landscaping, a network of paths suitable for walking, jogging, and biking; picnic areas, a dog park, and the adaptive reuse of two industrial wharves: the Piety Wharf and Mandeville Shed. Both structures have been stabilized and repurposed to accommodate public gatherings, festivals and the host of artistic exhibitions that take place throughout the year. In lieu of new construction, the architects made a conscious decision to  build upon the layers of history and character that already defined the sight. A nod to the industrial past, the repurposing of both structures is a modern reinterpretation. In place of shipping and receiving goods, these two spaces provide opportunities for engagement and interaction, the exchange of ideas and conversation. By reconnecting to the river, New Orleans is following the trend of many world-class cities and exploring opportunities to restore and enhance the natural environment while simultaneously improving citizen’s quality of life. Evoking a palimpsest, the park is a delicate balance of layering old and new. Rather than eradicate the history of the site, the design team chose to celebrate and build upon it without compromising the allure and poetic ruin of post-industrialization decay and flood infrastructure that ultimately characterizes this part of the city. For example: Inscribed lines of the defunct railroad tracks are the foundation of all the pathways in the park. Though still separated from the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods via an active rail corridor and flood wall, the site identifies the intersections of the main promenade with the historic street grid. Each intersection is highlighted by a large slab of concrete bearing the street name. This acts as a means of wayfinding and orientation while inviting visitors to sit and enjoy their surroundings.

Improvements to the existing Piety Wharf, a centerpiece of Crescent Park, expand space for neighborhood gatherings, and offer residents the opportunity to commune with nature at the river’s edge. Railroad spurs once peeled off from the main line in tight arcs, with multiple spurs arriving at each wharf. The 1,200-foot-long gardens draw on this complex of spurs as the generator for pedestrian paths framing a series of converging garden plots containing primarily native vegetation species. 

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple Team: Mark Ripple, Principal-in-Charge; Amanda Rivera, Project Manager; Allen Eskew, Principal-in-Charge