Wesselman Park Nature Center

Wesselman Park Nature Center needed improved flow and aesthetics of their parking lot and entry into the Nature Center. The design solution addresses their concerns about safety, functionality and beauty. Pedestrian safety is greatly increased through the addition of sidewalks, bollards, stop signs at crosswalks, angled parking for one-way directional traffic flow and through the narrowing of vehicular paths. Pedestrian paths leading from the parking area to the Nature Center draw on the materials found inside the preserve (boardwalks) and uses them in a modern and playful way, predicting and providing short-cuts through the planting areas. The plan also identifies the most useful areas to place the hierarchy of signage, designating the triangular island as the most visible and logical place for the main entry sign. Other signage such as, kiosks containing maps are located at natural stops for pedestrians on their way from the parking lot into the preserve. The design calls for an expanded entry plaza with bike racks, additional seating (seat walls) and a larger and more functional gate that could accommodate groups of school children on a field trip. Finally, the planting areas were designed to collect rainwater and use only native plants. This design was done during my tenure with Combs Landscape. www.combslandscape.com