Aspire Park redefines public gathering and open space in a rural community in East Tennessee, transforming a 180-acre site at the bend of the Clinch River into a dynamic destination for recreation, ecology, and cultural engagement. A widely popular site in the region, the park brings together a wide range of people looking to engage in a variety of nature-based play and engagement. Situated approximately 45 minutes from Knoxville, the site’s design capitalizes on four iconic natural Tennessee landscapes—Mountain, River, Meadow, and Field—creating a framework that celebrates the region’s unique beauty and diversity.

The Field

The setting for the park offered beautiful nature and compelling topography yet was isolated from the surrounding community by an active rail line. A new park entrance crosses this divide and brings visitors into the Groves, a 7-acre landscape composed of over 500 trees arrayed across the site in large grids. Today, the Groves evoke the area’s agricultural history, but over time, they will form a dynamic and ecologically productive canopy that presents shade and shelter to visitors, human and non-human alike. At the heart of the Groves sits The Exchange, a dramatic 300-foot long roof structure, which provides ample shelter for movie nights, picnics, farmers markets, and other community events.

The Meadow

Upland from the Groves is a 13-acre area of the site called the Meadow. A once-disturbed site, the Meadow sits above a clay-capped coal fly ash landfill that could not be penetrated or disturbed during the construction of the park. The Meadows are now restored into a thriving landscape, bringing together a subtly undulating and ever-changing expanse of native wildflowers and grasses with winding walking trails, creating a serene retreat. The Upper Meadow, reseeded with native wildflowers, creates a lush pollinator habitat offering year-round visual interest. This robust ecological systems not only perform vital environmental functions, it also serve as an educational tools, inviting visitors to engage with the region’s ecosystems and sustainable practices.

The River

At the bend of the Clinch River, we constructed the Launch. A hub for daily life and recreation on the river, the Launch is designed to accommodate activities like fishing, canoeing, and other water sports. With two piers that dip into the river, the launch offers shelter to visitors placing their kayaks or canoes in the water, providing unexpected vistas along the way. The Clinch River is both a defining feature of the park and a central component to its ecological strategy. The park integrates innovative stormwater management systems, including bio-retention basins, permeable surfaces, and native vegetation to filter runoff, improve water quality, and reduce flood risks. Careful construction of features like the fishing piers and river overlooks like the Launch encourage engagement while protecting riparian habitats and ensuring careful stewardship of this vital waterway.

The Mountain

The upper landscape focuses on provisioning ample space for outdoor recreation, play, and gathering. At the foot of the forested ridge, we stationed the Onward and Upward center (OUC), a 22,000 sf that contains exhibit space, event space, park offices, maintenance facilities, and a full restaurant. Immediately adjacent to the OUC is a destination playground that serves as the launching point for various activities along the ridge. Play spaces terrace up the slope and provide experiences for all ages and abilities. Lower terraces cater to younger explorers, opening opportunities for imaginative play with a play hut, iconic wooden chicks, and a mother hen. The middle terraces, centered around a 40’ tall pyramid climbing tower, encourage climbing, swinging, balancing, and sliding. At the top of the slope, an immensely popular double zipline offers incredible views over the park as well as a thrilling ride. Paths from the playground take visitors to a mountainside pump track and numerous trails.

Aspire Park combines bold architectural elements, extensive ecological restoration, and varied recreational amenities, reflecting the client’s ambitious vision for both local empowerment, community gathering, and regional attraction. The park is a testament to the power of design to elevate a region by bringing together nature, recreation, and community to create a world-class destination. Completed over the course of four years, Aspire Park is a generational investment in Clinton, Tennessee that creates a place for families, adventurers, and nature lovers to connect with one another and the natural world around them.

Client: Hollingsworth Foundation

Collaborators:
Architect of Record: McCarty Holsaple McCarty
Civil: S&ME
Structural: Apex Engineers
MEP: Hodge Engineering
Lighting: Sesco Lighting

Photography: Albert Yee

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