The Commons
Belgard® Pavers Play a Starring Role in New Downtown Minneapolis Signature City Park
Every Project Starts with a Purpose
The Commons is a 4.2 acre public space in downtown Minneapolis located amidst new office and residential buildings, the Wells Fargo Campus, and adjacent to the new US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings. As the city’s signature park, The Commons is a welcoming place for respite, as well as everyday activities and special events for residents, workers and visitors. The City of Minneapolis hired a world-renowned team led by landscape architects Hargreaves Associates to design the $20-million venue, which opened July 21, 2016.
The design team needed pavers that could support both heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic, while also being able to stand the test of time through Minnesota’s harsh winters. In addition, since this is one of the premier public spaces in the city, the pavers needed to add to the overall beauty of the park’s unique design.
The Solution
Solving for Style, Function, and Durability
Belgard® was selected to supply 19,500 square feet of pavers for key areas throughout the park, including right-of-way zones, tree trenches, and pavement surrounding the park’s stage area to accommodate vehicular traffic. The Belgard Commercial team presented a variety of paver systems, from which the client chose the Moduline Series® in three solid colors: Rust, Truffle and Suede.
Developed to offer design versatility, Moduline Series pavers are based on true three-inch dimensional increments and feature a unique textured surface. This allowed the design team to field blend the pavers and create visual accents and highlights throughout the park.
“The Belgard unit pavers add a nice textural and color quality to The Commons,” stated Chuck Evens, Senior Associate, PLA of Damon Farber, which led the landscape architecture design on the project. “The Moduline Series® Paver provided the right scale, quality and long-term durability that the design team sought.”
Belgard permeable interlocking concrete pavers were specified for the tree wells within The Commons. Rather than directing rainfall away, this system allows water to reach tree roots and infiltrate into the subsurface, supporting long-term tree health.
Belgard initially presented four shades within a single color family. Instead of selecting just one, the design team chose to use all four and hand-mixed them in the field, creating a unique, randomized appearance that enhanced the natural character of the space.
Featured Products
The Result
A Lasting Impression:
The Final Transformation
Ultimately, 15,000 square feet of Moduline Pavers and 4,500 square feet of Holland Permeable Pavers were used to complete the system.
“In addition to the quality and aesthetics, selecting pavers that were locally manufactured, streamlined the product sourcing and limited the delivery distance, which was also an important consideration,” said Evens. “Overall, Belgard was a great choice.”
PLAN + DESIGN
Smarter Planning. Better Design.
Belgard isn’t just here to provide the product—we’re your partner in planning and design. From first ideas to final layout, we make it easy to bring your outdoor vision to life.
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