Waller Creek Conservancy Announces Four Finalists for "Design Waller Creek: A Competition"

AUSTIN, Texas, April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Waller Creek Conservancy announced today the four finalists selected for Stage III of "Design Waller Creek: A Competition." A jury of design experts narrowed the nine semifinalist teams to four, and all four finalists will embark on the design process and present complete design concepts this fall.

The four finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

• CMG and Public Architecture
• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and Thomas Phifer & Partners
• Turenscape and Lake | Flato Architects
• Workshop: Ken Smith Landscape Architect, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects and Rogers Marvel Architects

"In Stage III, the teams develop design concepts that tackle the unique landscape challenge Waller Creek presents. Leading these teams are preeminent design experts, and each team includes many local design professionals with a host of expertise and skills to create fully integrated design teams, " Stephanie Lee McDonald, executive director of the Waller Creek Conservancy, said. "We are eager to see their innovative ideas for Waller Creek."

In the final stage of the competition, the finalists will bring their design concepts to fruition. The concepts will focus on transforming 1.5 miles of Waller Creek, with a total area encompassing 28 acres. The entire Waller Creek project represents approximately 11 percent of downtown Austin.

The finalists will integrate design principles in their submissions, which include creating an innovative urban landscape; linking downtown and East Austin; encouraging redevelopment within the district; creating new parkland for public use and restoring existing parkland, which includes Waterloo and Palm parks; providing a variety of compatible uses that encourage recreational activity, and much more. The design principles were derived from an extensive public process. 

"We are embarking on something Austin has yet to do on this scale," McDonald said. "Waller Creek represents the biggest small creek transformation in the nation."

The finalists' design concepts will be presented to the public Sept. 17–30, 2012, and the winning team will be announced on Oct. 16.

The design competition began in November 2011. The Waller Creek Conservancy received 31 submissions from design teams throughout the world. For more information on the Waller Creek Conservancy and the design competition, please visit www.wallercreek.org.

About the Waller Creek Conservancy

Leveraging philanthropic leadership with local government, the Waller Creek Conservancy is a community partner to the City of Austin through a public-private partnership. Its goal is to serve as the steward of Waller Creek by playing a vital role in the preservation, redevelopment, and maintenance of the creek's surrounding parks, nearby businesses, adjoining neighborhoods, and the community at large. The Waller Creek Conservancy, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, was founded in 2010 by Tom Meredith, former chief financial officer of Dell, Inc.; Melba Whatley, who runs MDW Interests, a private oil, gas, and real estate investment firm, and Melanie Barnes, a philanthropist and lawyer. For more information about the Waller Creek Conservancy, please visit www.wallercreek.org.

For More Information:

Erika Gonzalez, 512-494-2864 or [email protected]

Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations

SOURCE Waller Creek Conservancy