What is the site saying ?


 Moris K. Udal park in one look
1980-2025
Lets talk shade!

For such a big site the state of shade giving plants was abysmal. mostly because the drainage pathways for the site lead the water direct away from the trees.  that are planted for the sole purpose of providing shade to the walking paths. Hence water retention and the scaping of our hardscapes really needs to be given extra consideration even when designing the new proposal.

Perhaps an alternative method of shading can be used to shade the pathways like more gazebos, or using retractable fabric canopies like the ones used in spain or like ones used on the site itself in the children’s play area  as shown (in the second picture from the left in the middle).  

This strategy will definitly give the design a stricking quality , And it boosts our design objective which is to foster festivals and community not just sports.


The who’s who of Udall park !

The park visitors are mainly categarised into two main factions:

i)     The sports crowd
ii)    The seniors

There are a  number of  team sports fields in this parks which includes games like soccer, softball, baseball, and pickle ball. These are all very activity centered spaces. and they take  up a good percentage of the park , if i had to use a number id say about 70% of the developed park is sports oriented. This means that the users are here either to play a sport or to watch one being played by others.  

This can be construed as both a positive and a negative aspect. on one hand it does activate the  space. but on the other it also provides little alternative to people who might want to visit to just “hangout” or to “have a picnic” do yoga etc.

The park is also home to a senior’s community centre which hosts a  myriad of seniors events and social clubs, but its activities are mostly oriented indoors. That doesnt mean that our senior visitors arent exploring or using the rest of the park. They use the walking trails all along the football fields and the pickleball courts. The most popular location seems to be along the conifer trees, as they are providing the most shade.

Another fun fact which isn’t eactly informed by the site, but a simple google seach did tell me that the city of  Tucson also holds a seniors olympics event every febuary in this very park ! So the park is clearly more sports oriented but a park can also foster social interaction both meaningful and purpose driven and those achieved spontaneously or casually while staying true to its sporty roots.

I think this park is definitely special to alot of people and that is what I hope to create for future generations aswell. Just with a little more color and a more flexible communal gathering space.