Photo Credit: Bill Tiimmerman
Preserving open space, respecting existing neighborhoods, and creating a demonstration project for sustainability were the primary guiding principles in the design of George “Doc” Cavalliere Park, north of Scottsdale, Ariz. The park is the result of more than 20 years of planning and extensive community input in order to meet the significant challenges of integrating a community park into a regional stormwater-retention facility, all set in a sensitive desert environment.
The design utilizes a limited palette of native materials and reductive design principles to create a modern architectural aesthetic, nestled into a dramatic Sonoran Desert site. Constructed almost exclusively from native stone, concrete, and unfinished steel, the resulting project has established a new standard for the design and implementation of a truly sustainable public space within an arid site. In recognition of this accomplishment, Cavalliere Park was selected by the ASLA’s Sustainable SITES Initiative as a Pilot Project, and is the first certified SITES project in Arizona, having received the highest certification level awarded to date.
Stormwater Retention
Located on 34 acres of rugged terrain, the site had been previously developed as part of north Scottsdale’s regional stormwater-management system, including the construction of a large earthen dam and two significant retention basins. Project requirements included the enlargement of the upper basin to accommodate a total of nearly 50 acre-feet of stormwater volume, dramatically influencing the park’s layout and design.