Houston’s Lynn Wyatt Square Is Full of Clever Delights

In Jones Plaza’s place is now a colorful, welcoming park that blends varied outdoor performance spaces (inspired by the many performing arts spaces in the area) with interwoven paths, green spaces, and more. The 1.5-acre space was funded by Wyatt herself along with a stable of supporters led by the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Houston First Corporation, a local government corporation that promotes the city and manages its convention and performing arts facilities. The space focuses on drawing visitors inside, both for impromptu enjoyment and planned events.

“These venues shouldn’t just be destinations, but places you happen upon,” noted Naseema Asif, senior architect, cultural & civic projects at RIOS. “They’re indicative of the creative acts of everyday life.”

Crafting this kind of gravitational pull required a multi-pronged approach. The firm made the park accessible on all sides and moved or hid many of the old square’s physical impediments, such as its concrete walls and corner air exhaust shafts, replacing them with a varied landscape inspired by the region’s bayous, wetlands, and lush greenery. This includes Oak and Magnolia trees, resilient Zoysia grass, and native plantings. This base palette is layered with welcoming zones like an angular, stepped corner waterfall, a street level entryway packed with native shrubs and zig zagging paths, and the “gateway gardens,” an intricate, shaded plaza filled with trees, greenery, and decomposed granite pathways. Imbedded into these are RIOS-designed street furnishings, which include concrete and wood benches, and yellow metal furniture that includes swinging benches and three types of rocking chairs (including the “Tete-a-tete rocker,” two interconnected chairs designed for conversation.) The RIOS-designed lighting poles in the same bright yellow color are also hard to miss.

Further activating these areas is a strategy of “urban choreography,” a series of torqued walking paths, varied gathering spots, and performance spaces, designed for visitors to happen upon any type of theater or public activity. Programming—much of it provided by nearby institutions—has already included orchestra, singing, dance, buffets, and food trucks. The water feature itself can serve as a stage, thanks to a hidden feature cleverly called the “Sometimes Stage” that drains portions of its water. The street level corner serves as the “street stage,” and extending from the 2-story restaurant building—a curving, column free space topped with glulam beams and clad in textured concrete, glass, and ceramic tile—are amphitheater-like steps that serve as seating for shows and events taking place in the “center green,” the site’s central open space.

Like the design itself, the design team was complex, including 17 consultants. But RIOS’ ability to oversee elements like architecture, landscape, lighting, furniture, and even (once the restaurant opens) tableware design, help Lynn Wyatt Square’s many layered concepts come together. “It comes out in the details,” notes Peter Emerson, RIOS studio director, landscape architecture. “It’s about how things come together. There’s no seam between building and park and surrounding sidewalks. It feels like a seamless landscape.” “It’s such a stark difference between what was there and what is there now,” notes Okan-Vick, who adds that among the plaza’s many fans is Wyatt herself. “During the opening I could see she was teared up and getting very emotional about it. She’s had a lot of recognition, but this is the only time a public space has been named for her.”