Love Bank Park
Centrally located in south St. Louis on Cherokee Street, Love Bank Park stands as a testament to the transformative power of community collaboration and visionary design. This vibrant public space, once a vacant lot, has been re-imagined into an oasis that celebrates diversity, fosters social interaction, and promotes environmental sustainability.
The story of Love Bank Park began in 2015 when community leaders, responding to kids who had begun to play there, set up a basketball hoop. With the support of community members and local organizations like the Cherokee Street Community Improvement District, Love Bank Park emerged as a grassroots initiative driven by a shared desire to enhance quality of life in the neighborhood for all residents. I became involved with the project in 2022 where I began by documenting the park as it was prior to reconstruction.
Love Bank Park in 2022, prior to redevelopment.
Designed by Patterhn Ives and Arbolope Studio, Love Bank Park demonstrates an architectural vision that skillfully blends functionality, inclusivity, and environmental consciousness. Inspired by the concept of Venn diagrams, the park's layered geometric design symbolizes the intersection of diverse elements in the Cherokee Street community. These curved lines contrast against the street grid, not only creating a visually pleasing landscape, but also embodying the community's aspiration for a welcoming and inclusive environment.
The Venn diagram inspiration is evident in the ninety degree look-down view.
Love Bank Park boasts an array of features and enhancements aimed at enriching the visitor experience and promoting community engagement. The basketball court is the focal point for recreational activities. With its water-permeable pavement, the court is a sustainable playing surface that is already well-used by local residents. The inclusion of an open plaza area equipped with seating, chess tables, and shade trees provides a versatile gathering space for cultural events, performances, and social gatherings. The park's integration of sustainable design elements such as permeable pavers, as well as rain gardens, underscores a commitment to environmental stewardship, serving as a model for urban sustainability.
The basketball court has been popular with local residents since opening day.
Shaded seating area located between the open plaza and basketball court.
Starting at an early stage in the park's redevelopment, I photographed important events over the course of the transformation, including the groundbreaking, tree planting days, and the opening ceremony. Two years after I began, the final, formal images of the completed park were made within two days of its opening. Photographing a project in this way, showing its evolution over time, affords the designers a broad range of visual materials in order to tell a complete story.
L. Irene Compadre, founder and principal of Arbolope Studio, speaks during groundbreaking ceremonies.
Workers installing one of many trees during the construction of Love Bank Park.
Love Bank Park stands as an example of how thoughtful design and community-oriented planning can transform under-used spaces into hubs of activity. Through its innovative architectural vision, sustainable design elements, and commitment to inclusivity, the park embodies the spirit of reinvention that defines the Cherokee Street neighborhood. It was a pleasure to witness the final stage of the park's transformation, and to have played a part in communicating its story to the broader public.
Emily Thenhaus and Will Porter, two community leaders instrumental in the development of the park, addressing the crowd during opening day festivities.