A Kinetic Pocket Park Powered by Pedestrians
Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, Connecticut Avenue Overlook
Urbanism and Landscapes
On a Pro-Bono basis, ZGF provided urban planning and conceptual design services to transform an unsightly patch of concrete on the south side of Washington DC’s Dupont Circle into an innovative 850 SF micro-park that exhibits user-generated renewable energy. ZGF’s design included the installation of kinetic pavers, funded by a Sustainable DC grant.
Pedestrians are invited to participate in an energy solution that transforms the power of their footsteps into electricity, which is harnessed to light the park. As visitors walk across the overlook throughout the day, the tiles generate electricity with every step. This electricity is stored in a battery for use at night to illuminate the staggered granite seating and create a lighting display.
Location
Washington, DC
Square Feet
850
Completion date
2016
Project Component
Urban design
Previously an unremarkable site, the project transformed a concrete overlook on top of a bridge structure into a pocket park with landscaped raised planters.