Firm will now creat plan based on public input

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Shelby Farms Park Conservancy announced today that field operations, a highly respected landscape architecture firm based in New York City, has been chosen to design the Master Plan for Shelby Farms Park.

“We are thrilled to work with field operations on this groundbreaking project,” said Barbara Hyde, chair of the master plan committee for Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. “field operations has an incredible passion for Shelby Farms Park and the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County, a passion that is matched by their talent and desire to create the greatest American park of the 21st Century.”
“Now, it’s time to go to work, creating a plan that represents the potential of this 4,500 acre community asset, and the thoughts the public has shared throughout the Master Plan process,” said Hyde.

field operations was selected by the Conservancy based on several factors, including its responsiveness to the public’s views on the future of the park, design philosophy, big ideas, their approaches to environmental sustainability and project phasing needs, and the Conservancy’s general impression of the firm’s passion for the park.

The firm’s other signature projects include the Fresh Kills and High Line parks in New York state.
field operations was one of three finalists in the Shelby Farms Park Master Plan innovative design competition. The competition received entries from 33 firms around the world, and the pool was eventually narrowed to field operations, Tom Leader Studio and Hargreaves Associates.
After an initial public input phase, each firm produced its design concept for Shelby Farms Park based on the feedback received from citizens and the guidance of the Conservancy. A second public input phase followed, in which the public was asked to share their thoughts on these concepts.

“The three firms were thoroughly evaluated by the Conservancy, and field operations came out on top,” said Alex Garvin, consultant to the Master Plan Committee. “The citizens of Shelby County who participated in the second input phase also liked the way field operations treated elements of the park.”

The Conservancy will now work with field operations to translate the public’s feedback into the design that will ultimately make up the final Master Plan. Elements from all three finalists’ designs could essentially be included.

The final Master Plan will be unveiled to the public this summer.

“The citizens of Memphis and Shelby County should be proud of the integral part they’ve played in shaping the park’s future thus far,” said Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. “Now, we all have an amazing opportunity to watch imagination turn into reality, as Shelby Farms Park grows to reach its full potential as a park for all citizens of Shelby County for years to come.”

For more information, please contact Jen Andrews at Shelby Farms Park, (901) 767-7275, or Katie Wassmer at Thompson & Berry PR, (901) 251-5103.