Search
Close this search box.

Local Students to Contribute to Future of Tom Lee Park

Some local students are getting a unique opportunity to help redesign one of the city’s biggest attractions alongside a group of internationally acclaimed architects.

Studio Gang, an international design company, has enlisted assistance from local students from Douglass High School and Knowledge Quest to contribute to the final designs of one of the most visible areas of Memphis’ Riverfront, including Tom Lee Park. The collaboration is part of the Youth Design Leadership Program launched by Studio Gang. The program allows students to participate in monthly design workshops, and attend site visits and public engagement sessions that will directly contribute to the final designs of the 25 acres of the Mississippi riverfront from bluff to bank, between Georgia and Beale.

“Partnering with local organizations and working to empower Memphians to make the Riverfront their own, has always been a critical part of the design process. The Youth Design Leadership Program takes that idea a step further by making sure the next generation of park users are at the table in a thoughtful way.” -Gia Biagi, Studio Gang Principal of Urbanism and Civic Impact

The leadership program builds upon the legacy established by the Memphis River Parks Partnership, in an earlier project. During the construction of the River Garden, the Riverfront’s newest park, students from three Shelby County Schools were able to design and construct intimate gathering spaces for the Garden. Now, alongside Studio Gang architects, a new group of students is getting a similar opportunity, as they contribute to the design of one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.

“With the Youth Design Leadership program, we hope to inspire Memphis’s future architects and designers by providing the professional environment and mentorship necessary to kickstart a long, fulfilling career of changing their city for the better,” Biagi said.

The program, that was launched in November, will continue through the spring, culminating with an exhibition of the students’ work. Additionally, students will receive stipends and certificates of participation.

To learn more about Studio Gang and the Youth Design Leadership Program, visit their website.

Additional information can also be found about the Memphis River Parks Partnership by visiting their website.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share Article:

More Articles