Atlas Public Schools Playground
St. Louis, MO
DG2 Design was tasked with designing a playground for Atlas Elementary, a new school in downtown St. Louis, as part of their commitment to preparing students for a lifetime of exploration. Atlas Public Schools aims to educate the whole child through rigorous academics and real-world experiences. The playground is designed to encourage imagination, physical challenges, and free play.
Unlike traditional playground concepts, the playground features Berliner spatial nets, which stimulate cognitive processes in children and encourage decision-making in a playful way. The design balances safety with opportunities for children to push their boundaries and learn through play.
Located under the cover of a previously covered parking lot, the playground offers various play options, including two DNA Towers with climbing features and a slide, a Tri climbing tower with a tube slide, and a three-dimensional chess board, all on an accessible artificial turf surface.
This playground, along with the renovation project to adaptively reuse a previously vacant building, will meet the evolving needs of the school as it grows over the next five years. The growth strategy includes adding a new grade each year until the school reaches 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Mitchell Park Master Plan
Kirkwood, MO
DG2 Design worked with the City of Kirkwood to update the Mitchell Park master plan. Following the St. Louis County Municipal Parks Grant requirements and based on the community outreach efforts and stakeholder input, DG2 developed the following key goals and objectives for Mitchell Park improvements.
ADA Compliance: Proposed improvements and amenities will be designed to meet ADA requirements, ensuring equal access to recreational activities for all park users.
Park Drainage: Addressing drainage issues is a primary concern that must be resolved in coordination with other park improvements. Sculpting the natural grade and installing rain gardens will help redirect water flow away from active areas, preventing waterlogging.
Preserving Park Character: Community members express a strong desire to maintain the park’s overall character, including its central open lawn, lush canopy, and intimate atmosphere. A balance between active and passive engagement opportunities will be maintained.
Enhancing Play Opportunities: Parents and children want more opportunities for both formal and informal play. Integrating swings and landscape elements for climbing and skipping into the park design will cater to these desires. Additionally, a small-footprint mist element will be added to provide a fun way to cool off on warm days.
Landscape Improvements & Tree Canopy Preservation: Plantings that attract pollinators, showcase seasonality, and offer educational opportunities will be integrated into the park’s landscape design. A careful assessment of tree health will be conducted to ensure the long-term vitality of the park’s tree canopy. Declining trees will be replaced, while healthy ones will be preserved.
Preserving Central Open Space: The central open lawn, a popular area among park visitors, will be preserved and enhanced through improvements to grading and drainage, resulting in a more usable space throughout the year.
By addressing these goals and objectives, Mitchell Park will be transformed into a more inclusive, sustainable, and enjoyable recreational space for the community to enjoy.
Belleview Farm Park Master Plan
The Belleview Farm, a historic 19th-century farmstead, was donated to St. Louis County by Harold K. Donnelly, with the deed specifying that the developed area must be maintained as a public park and the undeveloped portion as a wildlife and nature preserve. The St. Louis County Historic Buildings Commission interpreted the deed to also require the preservation of the main house, stone house, and winery as historic landmarks.
DG2 Design collaborated with the City of Wildwood and St. Louis County to create a Master Plan for the park. The 100-acre site, which includes pastures, meadows, and mature woodlands, offers dramatic topography with scenic views of the Meramec River valley. The design process prioritized preserving the historic structures and natural beauty while providing a destination for passive recreation. Extensive site analysis, including the documentation of historic and natural features, as well as topographical and drainage considerations, guided the design decisions to minimize environmental impact. Due to limited funding, the project is currently in a protection and restoration phase.
Kinetic Park
In 2020, St. Charles County rebranded the Youth Activity Park as Kinetic Park, embracing the theme of “energy in motion through adventure and play.” As part of this rebranding, the team DG2, Vireo, and JEMA developed a master plan update for the park. In July 2022, Phase 1 of the redesigned park was completed, featuring an upgraded skateboarding area and new parking facilities. Currently under construction, Phase 2 aims to transform Kinetic Park from a teen-focused facility into a destination for families and users of all ages and abilities. Key elements of the renovation include:
- A new park entrance
- A 40,000-square-foot, universally designed adventure playground
- Renovation of the existing pond and walkways
- Renovation of the current building.
- Construction of a new 8,000-square-foot building featuring a 5,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor multi-use space, marked for pickleball with three indoor courts, expanded restrooms, concession and dining areas, additional office space and a state-of-the-art e-sports arena.
While it may seem counterintuitive to bring kids to a park and then indoors, the e-sports arena is designed to provide an inclusive environment where children of all abilities can compete on an equal playing field. This includes opportunities for kids in wheelchairs to compete alongside their peers both in the e-sports arena and outdoors on the adventure playground.
Lemay Child & Family Center
With nearly three acres of land, DG2 Design developed a unique playground featuring designated areas for each age group. The design includes elements such as gardening spaces, stormwater infiltration play features, bike and stroller paths, sports fields, shaded areas, and more. This new Outdoor Learning Center is part of a broader multi-year initiative to enhance the Center’s facilities, ensuring children have the high-quality learning environment they deserve.
In addition to designing the playground, DG2 Design supported the Center by creating fundraising materials, hosting an open house, and assisting with applications for multiple grants to help fund the project.
Villa di Maria Natural Playground
Villa di Maria Natural Playground
Fogerty Park Master Plan and Phase One
Fogerty Park Master Plan and Phase One
Raintree School
Raintree School
Faith Academy School Playground
Faith Academy School Playground