Petroglyph Estates Park

About

Located at the site of a stormwater control basin, Petroglyph Estates Park provides a unique opportunity for the City of Albuquerque and landscape architect to develop a continuously evolving and adapting natural setting that connects visitors with nature.

Categories Place Botanic & Arboretum Parks & Play Spaces Recreation

Various plants and shrubbery sprawl throughout the park and reflect the variety of ecosystems of the West Mesa.

Project Details

Description

This project is a neighborhood park that is approximately 2.5 acres on Albuquerque’s West Mesa. The site is a stormwater control basin, which steered the design from the beginning to be a park with a completely different type of design. The City of Albuquerque and landscape architect took this opportunity to develop a natural setting that would continuously evolve and adapt. Native vegetation has replaced traditional turfgrass and winding pathways now lead through slight ecosystem changes that reflect microclimates within the site’s various hydrological zones.

The character of the park has led it to become a pioneering design that allows for greater connections to nature. A variety of animal silhouettes are located throughout the park, which encourage visitors to get off the paths and into the landscape. An informational sign located at an overlook point lists the animal species and serves as a guide to find all the hidden creatures. Other signage describes the plant communities and how they adapt to changing conditions.

The park has become a destination for nature-based schools that use the space regularly as an outdoor classroom. The local beekeeping organization visits the site to observe how native plant species promote populations of native bees and other pollinators. No costs are associated with entry to the park.

Details

Design Firm
Pland Collaborative

Project Managers
Greg Miller

General Contractor
AUI Construction

Subcontractor
Sequoia Landscape

Budget
$470,000

Start Date
May 2014

End Date
July 2015

Funders & Supporters

City of Albuquerque
Dave Simon, Director Parks and Recreation Department
David Flores Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Department
Laurie Firor Division Manager Parks and Recreation Department
Wilson and Company Lead Civil Engineer

Swirling patterns of vegetation and basalt reflect the natural arroyo ecosystems of the region.

Children explore a muddy path made by a low-flow channel with their feet. One adult is watching the children play and another is walking through the adjacent field.

Two children discover the silhouette of a small dragonfly silhouette sculpture placed on the vertical side a rock. There are multiple animal silhouettes scattered throughout the park.

As the park has no rules about remaining on the concrete paths, three adults wander off a concrete path to explore and enjoy the park’s open space.

A sign with images of the major plant species and descriptions of their importance in the natural ecosystem of the park and West Mesa region.

A sign with words and drawings that identity the animals found in the park.

Recent Case Studies

A group of youth play with a football while other children sit on the berm. Behind them, kids play on the climber dome. The school building in the background is painted with bright colors and artwork.

Place

Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy (formerly Chester Arthur Schoolyard)

Formerly an asphalt-covered space that offered little to engage youth, the renovated schoolyard at the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy is now an inviting green space for students and community members that elevates hands-on learning, physical activity, and connection to the natural world.

Surrounded by an abundance of green, a participant reaches up to carefully inspect a particular branch of leaves during one of Tremont’s herpetology SANCP classes.

Program

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is a nonprofit field school situated within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It offers immersive, nature-based programs that enhance health and spark curiosity across all ages through profound engagement with the natural world.

Two participants in climbing gear sit on top of stacks of large rocks to celebrate a successful climb in Grand Teton, Wyoming.

Program

City Kids Wilderness Project

City Kids Wilderness Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the development of youth from under-resourced communities in Washington, DC through innovative outdoor experiential education and career readiness programs