In Situ Studio and Surface 678 complete Beech Bluff County Park in North Carolina

In Situ Studio and Surface 678 have completed Beech Bluff County Park, a 300-acre (121-hectare) park in southeastern Wake County, North Carolina, near Raleigh. The park features an elevated 'forest canopy walk' raised 25 feet (7.6 metres) above ground, a wildlife viewing terrace, hiking trails, and six new structures including an educational centre, picnic pavilions, a playground, community gardens, and a great lawn. The site was formerly farmland and forest, donated to the county. The design prioritizes habitat preservation and sustainability, using concrete foundations, wood structures, cypress walls, and Galvalume roofs. Salvaged materials from old farm structures were used for interior exhibits and fencing. Three of the six structures have photovoltaic arrays, and the park incorporates solar orientation, reflective roofs, and geothermal heating and cooling. The park aims to serve as a 'central park' for rapidly developing communities within a five-mile radius. Photography by Cristobal Palma.