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Finlay Park Master Plan

Bringing new life to a downtown Columbia park

  • 19

    Acre Park

  • Columbia, South Carolina

    Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia's “Crown Jewel” park needed a master plan that would restore the location’s luster and sparkle

Finlay Park is a 19-acre urban park offering some of the most dramatic vistas of the City of Columbia’s skyline. Once a thriving urban park, Finlay has been steadily declining in the last few years due to structural failures in walls, leaking water features, non-compliance with building codes, and accessibility. 

To reinvent the site, our team created a master plan based on analysis, public involvement, and meaningful design. We centered our design around accessibility, a destination playground, increased safety and visibility, rebuilt walls, repaired water features, and the projection of sound. The plan balances the introduction of new elements with unique forms and the charm of the original park. 

The final master plan improves circulation and safety and visibility, rebuilds the water features, integrates public art, improves greenspace, adds a new multi-use building, provides a unique destination playground, and provides greater overall connectivity throughout the site.

At a Glance

Offices
Client
  • City of Columbia
Partners
  • Civitas
Architect
Liollio Architecture
Award
2017 Honor Award for Analysis and Planning, ASLA Southeast Regional Conference
Meet Our Team

Jenny Horne, Senior Associate, Senior Landscape Architect

I believe that well-designed recreational spaces can help entire communities advance and evolve.

Rick Day, Senior Principal, Transportation

I truly enjoy coming to work every day and having the opportunity to work with a talented team and great clients.

Joe Geller, Senior Vice President

I am passionate about community engagement as a driver of strategic planning related to site design and the public realm.

Jeff Rice, Senior Principal

I like to connect with our clients and the people who will use our design. To see someone enjoying what we designed makes the work worth it.

Jim Maland, Senior Associate

My engineering keeps me grounded with reality based solutions, but being a sailor, my vision is always beyond the horizon.

Donna Walcavage, Principal, Landscape Architect

I am dedicated to tackling the complex, multidimensional issues involved in creating resilient, beautiful, and welcoming urban communities.

Jenny Horne

Senior Associate, Senior Landscape Architect

Rick Day

Senior Principal, Transportation

Joe Geller

Senior Vice President

Jeff Rice

Senior Principal

Jim Maland

Senior Associate

Donna Walcavage

Principal, Landscape Architect

We’re better together

  • Become a client

    Partner with us today to change how tomorrow looks. You’re exactly what’s needed to help us make it happen in your community.

  • Design your career

    Work with passionate people who are experts in their field. Our teams love what they do and are driven by how their work makes an impact on the communities they serve.

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