Uproot Memorial Youth Park

Thea Swift

“Uproot Memorial Youth Park” speaks to the displacement found in the youth’s experiences today as they contemplate futures with increasing environmental stresses and tragedies due to climate change: How do we foster a sense of hope in young generations as they struggle against the overwhelming narratives of hopelessness and despair? This memorial park is one exploration of how an urban landscape might seek to address this question.

The site is located in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is within walking distance of the Amy Biehl High School, which offers a valuable opportunity to create a welcoming outdoor space for students who are otherwise presented with limited options for relaxing and gathering in the downtown area.

To make visible the tremendous anxiety, depression, and anger youth experience as they grapple with our dysfunctional relationships with the Earth, the central memorial makes use of abrupt, fragmented concrete walls to reflect the pain of this physical and psychological sense of displacement. Paradoxically, these same concrete walls also offer blank canvas space for youth to express their emerging power, creativity and voices through ever-evolving, ephemeral artistry.

Irregular “plant cracks” — intentional interruptions in the concrete where xeric perennials and pollinator plants bloom — physically and metaphorically break up the concrete forms. These “plant cracks” speak to the hope that youth will challenge the current dysfunctional systems to (re)find rootedness, belonging, and wellbeing in their environments.

To the south, a recessed amphitheater provides a flexible gathering space for public events and small music concerts. The graffitied 8,000 square-foot skatepark in the northwest corner invites youth to delight and connect in the outdoors, fostering a vibrant and enlivened downtown space.

Section detail (see letter “R” on Plan): Bisecting the skatepark and southwest entrance to the park. The central memorial feature can be seen in the background. This section detail showcases how the skatepark bowl collects stormwater runoff, feeding the onsite trees through a perforated pipe and wicking system.

Perspective #1: Looking southeast toward the central memorial element of the park (see “1” on Plan). The urban forest canopy overhead shades visitors as they explore, relax, and enjoy the park, while vibrant “plant cracks” provide habitat and interest at the ground-level.

Perspective #2: Looking northwest towards the public restroom and skatepark (see “2” on Plan). A group of skaters is depicted enjoying the skatepark in the distance, observed by onlookers of families and individuals.

Perspective #3: Looking northeast at night toward the memorial (see “3” on Plan). An art wall with graffiti appears on the right-side of the render. Ground lighting highlights the stainlesssteel water channel running along the underside of the memorial’s roof and also offers an element of safety to visitors.

Perspective #4: Looking southeast at the memorial youth amphitheater (see “4” on Plan).

Teenagers and young adults are depicted relaxing together around the amphitheater space, surrounded by “plant cracks” and framed by the ever-changing graffiti and art on the memorial’s concrete walls