Kiley Garden, Tampa, Florida
Widely recognized as one of his greatest works, Kiley Garden in Tampa, Florida is an excellent example of Kiley’s ability to evoke the feeling of nature in the urban city. It has come to be known as a truly magical garden that is recognized around the world.
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Originally constructed in the late-1980’s, Kiley Garden (formerly NationsBank Plaza), is a masterpiece of integrated architecture and landscape design. Following the architect Harry Wolf’s use of the Fibonacci series, Kiley used the mathematical sequence to develop the garden’s unique tapestry of planting, paving, water runnels and fountains. However, after only 18 years, poor waterproofing construction resulted the need to remove the garden above while the parking structure below needed repair. While the garden’s paving was restored, only sod was replanted and funding fell short of replanting the Sabal Palms and Crape Myrtles and restoration of the garden’s water features. Through our work with the Friends of Kiley Garden (a group dedicated to restoring the park), we endeavoured to restore the garden to its original glory. We volunteered our time to develop a tree restoration plan to combine the original design intent and the current needs of the local community. |
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It was critical to stay true to Kiley’s original design intent in tree species as well as the overall approach of a natural and organic arrangement of Crape Myrtles. However, in order to accommodate competing uses of the park, we developed a creative alternative layout as a way to coexist with other intended uses. Kiley Garden originally featured 800 Crape Myrtle trees, which have since been removed by the city. We look forward to seeing the return of Crape Myrtles and Sabal Palm trees to the garden once again for the enjoyment of the future generation of Tampa residents and students of landscape architecture, home and abroad. For Tampa, Kiley Garden was part of a broader effort to reshape the city’s downtown waterfront during the 1980s, aiming to give the growing city a civic identity and a sophisticated public realm. Located adjacent to the Rivergate Tower and designed in collaboration with architect Harry Wolf, the garden was intended to act as an urban oasis—a structured, green counterpoint to the city’s corporate architecture. Over time, the garden suffered from maintenance challenges and alterations that compromised Kiley's original vision, sparking debates about preservation and the stewardship of Modernist landscapes. Today, Kiley Garden holds significance not just as a Tampa landmark, but as part of the national conversation about the value of postwar landscape architecture and the need to protect these often-overlooked cultural assets. Client: Friends of the Kiley Garden Year: 2022 Role: Landscape Architect, Lead Designer & Project Manager while at NAK Design Strategies Related Link(s): The Cultural Landscape Foundation: Kiley Garden NAK Design Strategies: Kiley Garden: Honoring a Modern Classic Tamp ABC Action News Video Project Location |
