Liberty Plaza

Conceived and executed as Phase One of a larger Capitol Grounds vision, Liberty Plaza provides for the first time in the Capitol’s history a true public common ground for daily enjoyment, major legislative events and gubernatorial announcements. The 3-acre public park and plaza creates a place where the citizens of Georgia can come together to celebrate, speak up and speak out both in favor and in peaceful protest of the actions of their government, while voicing their individual convictions and beliefs. Thoughtful analysis of crowd flow, sight lines and capacity yield a space where major marches and events have become commonplace.

The simplicity of the design provides restraint appropriate as a foreground to the historic Capitol building. The selected materials establishes a pallet and vernacular that unifies the future Capitol Grounds across a diverse range of architectural styles with emphasis on permanence, durability and long-term civic character. The result of Phase One, which will continue throughout the overall project Master Plan, is a meaningful public realm within the City of Atlanta and delivered a solid economic return by reducing the tax burden and demands of the State, which needed to monitor events at the previous location.

DESIGN PROCESS

Strategic thought through design options included the creation of a flexible center space that can accommodate large tents and gatherings of more than 3,000 people, surrounded by a bosque of native trees that provide clear sight lines for police officers and security to ensure the safety of users. Additional elements that influenced design decisions were the sun's location during summer and winter solstice and placement of the stage in relation to crowd accommodations and adjacent buildings.

SIMILAR PROJECTS