Unity is the theme of the monumental playground towers at the Warren Gateway on the Joe Louis Greenway in Detroit, Michigan. The project’s vision document, which came about through extensive community consultation and engagement, inspired the design team at SmithGroup and Earthscape to consider, “how can we celebrate unity in a playground?”
Playground Towers
The Unity playground towers mirror each other and between them, a circle forms to create something whole in a very tangible and literal way. The Unity Towers, with the connecting circle, create something bigger than the sum of its parts.
The Unity Towers make a bold statement. They can not be missed from the road and passers-by will inevitably make a double-take at their size and scale. Night lighting illuminates the circle as dusk falls so that the playground is inviting and offers a sense of safety after daylight hours. The playspace anchors the western Greenway and has already become a landmark destination for people to gather to play, picnic, exercise, rest, and celebrate.
Each tower offers a different play experience on the inside. One is significantly more challenging than the other and it takes perseverance and courage to reach the highest point. The reward is a spectacular view of the Greenway and an epic slide ride! The slide, with light portholes, is the tallest in the state of Michigan.
How can we reflect upon Joe Louis’s life through play without being literal? The playground tells the story through the play experience; his life was about perseverance and reward as he pursued racial equality.
The Playscape
While the Unity Towers are the main focus of the playground, the play doesn’t stop there. An accessible pathway into the shorter tower gives two sliding options: a hill slide (or embankment slide) off the path or a slide from inside the tower’s first level. The play experience across the whole area is balanced between active play alongside ‘hanging out’ spaces. It includes a Giant Rope Swing, Log Jam climbers for both junior and senior play, a double bay swing set, wobble boards, rubber mounds, and plenty of spaces for seating and rest.
Joe Louis Greenway
The Joe Louis Greenway is a 27.5-mile trail loop for biking and walking that connects neighborhoods and communities in the City of Detroit.
The Greenway is designed to solve real-world connectivity issues between Detroit neighborhoods. It tells the proud Black story of the City of Detroit and one of its most famous and inspiring citizens, Joe Louis. Though widely known for his boxing achievements, Joe Louis was so much more than an incredible athlete and civil rights leader. The new Greenway celebrates his legacy and values as a civic leader.
Two other Earthscape playgrounds in the Greater Windsor-Detroit area are located at Ella Fitzgerald Park (Detroit) and Mitchell Park (Windsor). The Grosbeak playground at Glass City Metropark in Toledo, Ohio is approximately one hour away.