To the north of the park, along the urban edge, the carousel pavilion stands as a beckoning gateway to the rest of the park. The shed, wrapped discretely in translucent polycarbonate panels on an engineered lumber frame, will host various gatherings. A series of pivoting panels open toward the riverside, framing a series of views for whirling carousel riders.
At the east end, a simple, rectangular volume, again sheathed in translucent polycarbonate, holds restrooms and utilities, entered via a bridge across a bio-swale moat. At night, a system of interior lights, charged by day by a small array of photovoltaic panels, illuminate the building and create a lantern in the park, a beacon at the head of the river walk.
The entire assembly, spanning the width of the meadow and bracketing the entry points to the park with the carousel shed to the west and the public facilities at the base of the Broad Street Bridge, modulates the experience of passing from the city streets to the forests and watercourses of Mill River Park.
To the west, along the concrete plank path, the carousel stands in an aperture carved from the timber lattice. An extension of the lattice over the path creates an entrance canopy. A new translucent cap, a shallow cone of polycarbonate panels, rests at the edge of the circular void in the lattice, providing protection to the historic carousel below it. Beneath the lattice, we propose to enclose the carousel with large pivoting transparent panels, a faceted ring that, when open, transforms into radiating fins of glass that frame a series of views for whirling carousel riders.
At the east end, a simple, rectangular volume sheathed in translucent polycarbonate holds a south-facing concession stand and restrooms entered from the north. At night, a system of interior lights, charged by day by a small array of photovoltaic panels, illuminate the building and create a lantern in the park, a beacon at the head of the river walk. The entire assembly, spanning the width of the meadow and bracketed by the historic landmark structure of the carousel and the public facilities at either end, speaks of the relationship between the forests and watercourses of Mill River Park and the physical makeup of the structure that shelters the park’s visitors.
