As the role of urban public spaces continues to evolve, cities across the country are looking to transform underutilized land into community-centric destinations that nurture wellness, creativity and connection. In Raleigh, North Carolina, this ambition has come to life in a bold, new and exciting way with the creation of Gipson Play Plaza; the first major phase of the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan to be constructed, and a model for what inclusive, experience-driven parks can be. 

Located just minutes from downtown, along the southern edge of the 308-acre Dorothea Dix Park, Gipson Play Plaza spans 18.5 acres and opened to the public in June 2025. Designed by Michael Van Valkenberg Associates Inc. through a collaborative process with local stakeholders and thousands of community members, this new destination is built to serve not only local residents, but also visitors from across the region and beyond. It’s a place where imagination meets infrastructure, where nature and engineering work together to deliver one shared purpose: creating a vibrant space for people of all ages and abilities to gather, play, relax and connect.

Rooted in Community: Designing a Space with Intention

Engineering Resilience: How Infrastructure Shapes Experience

While the park’s unique play structures and gardens draw the eye, the civil engineering infrastructure throughout the site is equally impressive. Gipson Play Plaza is an example of landscape infrastructure at its best, and how civil infrastructure and nature-based solutions are integrated into the visitor experience rather than hidden out of sight. 

McAdams played a leading role in designing and engineering a comprehensive green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) system that ensures the park is both beautiful and resilient. Some of these innovations include: 

• Pervious pavement and stone parking areas that allow rainwater to infiltrate through the surface instead of running off. 

• Bioretention cells and bioswales that collect, filter, and slow runoff across the site. 

• A recirculating wetland channel system that treats stormwater from the civic plaza and reduces downstream flooding while acting as a serene landscape element. 

• Strategic stormwater diversion away from flood-prone areas of the surrounding neighborhoods, helping to alleviate longstanding concerns along Lake Wheeler Road and in Fuller Heights. 

 
These features were carefully integrated into the park’s design in collaboration with the City of Raleigh’s GSI Advocate and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. to ensure alignment with the city’s sustainability goals and maximizing the site’s ability to perform ecologically while serving the public.

As a previously developed site housing some of the oldest utilities throughout the city, there were also numerous challenges posed by the previously installed infrastructure. The new features of the park required new infrastructure, which required work with the division of ownership and maintenance of the existing and proposed infrastructure. From water supply, to sewage, to power and beyond, it was apparent from an early design stage that we would need to rebuild rather than repurpose. Coordinating this effort while also futureproofing the design so that it dovetailed with later phases of the Master Plan, McAdams engineers had to think outside the box to develop solutions that worked in concert with the park design, while often remaining invisible. 

Design is only the tip of the iceberg. The finished product is the result of constant planning, collaboration, inspection, and quality control over the course of the 2+ years of construction. From compliance inspections to detailed quality control, McAdams was on-site throughout the construction timeline to oversee construction progress, assist with field adjustments, calibrate the Park’s infrastructure, and generally do anything needed to keep the project ahead of schedule in anticipation of the grand opening in June 2025.  

It’s inevitable that a project of this magnitude and quality will throw a couple of curveballs at the design and construction team. At Dix Park, soil conditions and aging infrastructure were always going to be challenging to address. However, by leveraging our collective expertise in cooperation with other members of the design team and the general contractor, McAdams helped deliver a final product that the City and Park Conservation can be proud of for decades to come. This was evident at the grand opening, where over 40,000 visitors enjoyed the park on a hot summer weekend.  

 
For more on McAdams’ role in crafting these solutions, you can view the full project overview here.

Celebrating Raleigh’s History While Looking to the Future 

The site of Dorothea Dix Park holds deep cultural, historical, and ecological significance. Once home to the state’s first behavioral health hospital, the land is undergoing a meaningful transformation, one that honors its past while boldly imagining the future. Throughout Gipson Play Plaza, this legacy is acknowledged and preserved. Salvaged materials from the park’s mature trees were repurposed into benches and playground elements. A historic home was rehabilitated and preserved as a cultural landmark. Interpretive signage throughout the park invites reflection and education. Together, these efforts ensure that this space is more than a park but is also a tribute to the community’s growth, resilience, and collective memory.

A Model for 21st Century Parks 

Gipson Play Plaza isn’t just a place to visit, this space is a new benchmark for how cities can design public spaces that are inclusive, engaging and sustainable. With its layered programming, family-friendly amenities, accessibility-first design and stormwater-conscious infrastructure, it sets a precedent for what parks should offer in the modern era. 

As the first physical phase of the larger Dix Park Master Plan, the plaza also lays the foundation for future development across the site. It demonstrates the value of prioritizing community voice, ecological systems and long-term functionality values that will shape the park for generations to come. 

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on the growth, expansion and renovations of the Gipson Play Plaza, as Raleigh continues to grow and evolve, the need for intentional, high-impact public spaces has never been greater. Gipson Play Plaza answers that call and then some, setting the standard of a strong example of what a community park that brings everyone together can look like. It’s a place where children climb towers and explore waterfalls, where neighbors share meals and memories, where nature and infrastructure meet in harmony, and ultimately, where memories are made while exploring nature.  

Through its collaborative development and detailed execution, this project exemplifies what is possible when landscape architecture, engineering, city leadership, and community vision align. This park is truly designed to create memorable moments of exploration, growth, and development for all. Thanks to the Gipson Play Plaza, Raleigh isn’t just building a park – it’s creating a lasting experience through every single visit.