A quick modeling exercise to see how our proposed little free library could fit onto the site.

We’re continuing to work on our Little Free Library! See our previous post here.

The Mill City Neighborhood, where the library is to be located, is comprised mainly of single family residences, and historically a home sat on the proposed lot. All that remains now are some concrete steps and a few trees. Realizing potential in these existing structures, we decided to place our Little Free Library at the top and just to the side of the stair, creating a “front porch feel”. Incorporating found objects into the design, the actual LFL is a re-purposed filing cabinet. In order to further protect the books from the elements, we intend to build a roofed structure to house the filing cabinet, which is made up of donated cedar planks. The base of this structure transitions into a planter that aligns with the stair. The planter wall is divided into two terraces and will be planted with ornamental grasses and other colorful plant material. It also provides an opportunity for signage for the library and the community garden. The goal of the design is that the library will serve multiple functions, first as a free book exchange for the community, and second as a ‘Phase One’ of the main entrance to the future community garden. Our hope is that this small project will further spur neighborhood interest and involvement as this community initiative moves forward.

The little free library/red cabinet housing under construction.

So far we have had one work day and made a lot of progress. First we cleaned and painted the filing cabinet. Then we built the structure to house the filing cabinet as well as the front panel for the planter beds. Next, we will be doing a little site prep and excavation for the installation of the planter walls and Library structure. The final installation day is this coming Saturday. We will be planting and adding any last finishing touches. We are very excited to see this through, and can’t wait to post an update on the finished project!

Last Friday, the first park in Billingsley Company's mixed-use Cypress Waters development in north Dallas was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Salazar Park, named after former city council member Steve Salazar, is a Studio Outside project meant to primarily serve the corporate tenants in three adjacent office buildings designed by Omniplan Architects.

The sun filtered through the newly-planted ginkgo trees as crowds of people found shade under low-branching live oak trees and three custom-designed park pavilions, one of which sheltered the band playing the event. The park is long and linear, providing a wide open space on one side and a small, enclosed grove of trees and pavilions on the other. The open space and lawn serves as a flexible event space, and also as a gallery of sorts for a wide variety of brightly-colored sculptural benches placed throughout the park.

As tenants start to move into the three-story buildings flanking the park, the maturing trees and shaded pavilions will provide a great place for outdoor meetings or lunches. A decomposed granite path surrounding the park provides a nice track for taking a leisurely morning walk.

There are two more parks to be built along Cypress Waters Blvd just north of Salazar Park and they are similar in scale. These open spaces will provide a recreational and green link between the office and corporate developments and the multifamily and mixed-use areas in Cypress Waters' Town Center. Additionally, a wide hike and bike trail connects the office, retail, multifamily, and mixed use developments to an extensive trail system surrounding North Lake, the largest and most important natural feature on the site.

Salazar Park, as the first open space along the entry sequence, is a welcoming green space that signals the beginning of a balance between buildings and landscape that the entire Cypress Waters development embodies.