Jessie Andrews Park
A bold public art installation defines an iconic community park.
At Jessie Andrews Park, bold public art and community identity intersect to transform an urban neighborhood park into a stunning signature landmark of the Mueller Community.
GOALS
RVi worked closely with the developer, the community, and a renowned national artist to craft an iconic neighborhood park with diverse inspirations. Designing within limited urban greenspace, we drew inspiration from linear parks to guide the layout and tree plantings. With reference to the nearby Austin Film Society’s production studios, we integrated classic horror films as a guiding force. The monumental public art installation called back to monster-movie imagery, commissioned by the same artist responsible for the Nessie sculpture at the nearby Lake Park, located in the Mueller Greenways. With these broad influences intertwining, Jessie Andrews Park is a beloved community hub that lives up to its namesake of the first female educator at the University of Texas.
OUTCOMES
Towering 20 ft. above the roadway, perched atop a restroom facility, an enormous purple octopus sculpture is the defining public art feature of Jessie Andrews Park. Commissioned by Texas Artist Dixie Friend Gay, Ocho the octopus’s steel tentacles spill from rooftop to sidewalk as a welcoming, whimsical fixture. The sculpture reflects both the thematic creature-movie elements of the park, and its overall emphasis on natural preservation. Stylistically, it connects this neighborhood pocket park to the broader Mueller Greenways system, which features sculpted public art commissioned by the same artist.
The park’s walkable linear layout nods to New York City, with allées of trees, large picnic tables, and string lights for safe gathering. Tables for backgammon, chess, and checkers provide relaxed amenities for casual gaming. On the opposite side of the park, an organic approach with soft edges and native plantings create a free-flowing landscape with a large, open-space lawn and meandering pathways tying it together. Tree groves, park benches, and a playscape add to the dynamic, multi-use environment.
