Amigos Park

Washington, DC

Amigos Park came about through a decade-long advocacy effort by the Amigos Park Coalition in collaboration with Open Architecture DC and Green Spaces for DC. The corner of Mt. Pleasant St. NW and Kenyon St. NW is a place where people naturally gather under the shade of large canopy trees to socialize and play checkers or chess. In its current condition, it is fenced off from the sidewalk and collects trash. In 2021 this corner was officially designated as a DC park and funds were later allocated for its design and construction.

The goals of this project were to maximize the use of a very small urban site with existing large trees, an adjacent bus stop, and land sloping in two directions. The park is also meant to be accessible and safe for all to use it. We developed a concept for the site that preserved the existing heritage street trees and minimized construction disturbance in the rootzone. Our collaboration with civil and structural engineers uses a paving system that floats above the existing grade to prevent compaction in the root zones of the trees of concern.

While it will function well in the day-to-day, it is designed to be a place for public performances, rallies, and festivals. The stage is equipped with power outlets and the furnishings can be moved to accommodate these gatherings.

Most importantly, this will be a place where Latino residents can gather and share their cultures in an area of the city facing rapid gentrification and displacement of low income and immigrant populations. Amigos Park is a physical marker of those who have contributed to the culture of Mt. Pleasant and creates a place for that legacy to endure for future generations.

Images shown are conceptual in nature and do not necessarily reflect the future built condition.