NBW worked collaboratively with the City in leading the design of The Ramble - a transformative project stitching together 12 acres of the city's core cultural, entertainment, and commercial assets with the 36-mile Razorback Greenway, adjacent neighborhoods, and headwaters of the Beaver Lake Watershed. The Ramble will enhance the city's appeal as an outdoor destination and civic space that celebrates art, creates greater community connectivity, and provides immersive experiences in the natural environment with bike and multi-use trails, parks, woodlands, boardwalks, terraced creeks, and spaces for art installations, music performances, and other events. Interwoven outdoor spaces were purposefully designed around flagship arts and cultural establishments to help revitalize Fayetteville's downtown experience, linking key local cultural institutions, such as the Walton Arts Center, TheatreSquared, Nadine Baum Studios, Fayetteville Public Library, and the University of Arkansas' Art and Design District.
Within The Ramble, areas north of Center Street will be referenced as “Upper Ramble” and areas south of Center Street will be referenced as “Lower Ramble.” Additionally, assets within The Ramble that offer distinct experiences have received new names or have retained existing, historical names. Corresponding on-site wayfinding signage will be added to help guide the public through the space.
The Lower Ramble has now been named the first certified sustainable SITES project in the state of Arkansas. The Ramble's SITES certification includes the restoration of degraded soils and plant communities, creation of wildlife habitat, reduction of energy consumption, and improvement of overall city air quality. One of the primary focus areas was the restoration of the Tanglewood Branch - a stream that runs the length of The Ramble.
Collaborators: City of Fayetteville, Experience Fayetteville, Nabholtz, Entegrity, Flintlock, Nitsch Engineering, Olsson Associates, HSA Engineering, Tillett Lighting Design Associates, Hines, Rico Associates, Hydrodramatics, Threshold, Archetype
