NBW was charged with creating a new 6-acre park situated in Central City ‘Uptown’ New Orleans, in the heart of the Harmony Oaks community. Lafon Park is designed to offer spaces of repose, gathering, and reflection for the surrounding communities. The park’s garden rooms will draw on the site’s layered history: a cemetery, three subsequent schools, and a memorial to the New Orleans philanthropist, Thomy Lafon. The design of the park stitches these elements of history, culture, and ecology to create a healthy public space for imagination, education, and remembrance. The landscape design is rooted in the past as it looks to a sustainable future. Historical markers and sculptures are embedded throughout the park. A diverse planting palette highlights the seasonal cycles and the region’s ecologies of Gulf Coast Prairie, Cypress Grove, and Oak Chenier. The primary path – The Hydrology Hike – presents prototypes for alternative stormwater management strategies, reflecting a city-wide approach to the creation of a resilient city and a strong community.
