Landscape Architecture Firm Hoerr Schaudt Transforms Wichita Riverfront Museum & Park into World-Class Educational Attraction

WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt announces EP2, the expansion and reimagining of Exploration Place, a premier science and discovery center. Opening in fall 2025, EP2 will be a catalyst for tourism in the region, with over one million expected annual visitors and an estimated annual economic impact of $45.7 million.

Located in downtown Wichita at 300 N. McLean Blvd., the 6.5-acre "destination playscape" will comprise 10 play areas rooted in Kansas's ecology and history.

To cement Exploration Place as a multigenerational gathering space and conduit for the area's identity, history, and community, the non-profit brought in Hoerr Schaudt for its industry-leading inclusive and sensory-forward design. EP2, a $25 million civic investment, will broaden our concept of what museums can be—an achievement when, nationwide, institutions face declining attendance.

While designing EP2, Hoerr Schaudt Principal Matthew Macchietto met with nearly a dozen community groups and brought in occupational therapist and inclusive design consultant Ingrid Kanics to ensure the playscape could be enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

"Exploration Place was originally created to inspire a deeper interest in science and technology," says Macchietto. "It was important to Hoerr Schaudt to ensure that no one would have to overcome a barrier to experience that wonder. When the park opens, everyone will have access to the same experiences, play opportunities, and wonder."

Attractions include an immersive sensory garden; the Foggy Flint Hills, a hilly topography plaza with tunnels and fog; the Water Play Cascades, a series of channels, boulders, and interactive water play elements that meander down a hillside into a plaza; and the Textron Aviation Flight Adventure, a 50-foot control tower and "flying" plane. Hoerr Schaudt will also plant native and adapted perennials, grasses, and trees.

"Playgrounds are the ultimate medium for egoless design—they prioritize togetherness, community, and expression," says Macchietto. "Hoerr Schaudt's overarching goal is to elevate the quality of life and recreational experiences within these communities, creating civic amenities with a broader purpose."

For more information about Hoerr Schaudt, Matthew Macchietto, and EP2, please contact:

McGraw PR
Michael McGraw, [email protected]
Holly Beal, [email protected]

SOURCE Hoerr Schaudt

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