Heatherwick Studio has revealed its new design for the transformation of Belvedere, an under-loved civic space in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Positioned between the city’s commercial centre and the Ohio River, the renewed Belvedere will become a welcoming place for everyday life: a place for meeting friends, spending time outdoors, attending community events or simply watching the river go by.
Originally opened in 1973, Belvedere was conceived as a place where residents and visitors could gather and relax. Over time, however, the site became disconnected from both the waterfront and the daily rhythms of city life. Heatherwick Studio’s design reimagines the site as a generous, green and flexible space that strengthens these connections and creates a new centre of gravity for downtown Louisville.
Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Design Director of Heatherwick Studio, said:
“For more than 50 years, the Belvedere has been a stage for public life in Louisville. But over time it’s become barren and disconnected from the energy of the city around it. My studio’s design is about restoring the buzz and sense of connection of its early years, by creating a greener, more welcoming urban heart, where everyday life can take place; from chance encounters and children’s play, to festivals, performances and community celebrations.
Our goal is for the newly reimagined Belvedere to reflect Louisville’s unique character, and bring people together again across generations, backgrounds and interests, and go on to become a place that local people proudly call their own.”
At the heart of the proposal is the Firefly Pavilion, a distinctive civic structure designed for everyday use, as well as larger cultural events and performances. Rather than functioning solely as a venue, the pavilion is conceived as a place that belongs to Louisvillians every day of the year, whether as a meeting point or to participate in community activities.
The wider landscape transforms a site spanning approximately four American football pitches into an inviting urban park with improved access, extensive planting, enhanced connections to the waterfront and welcoming entrances designed to draw people into the space throughout the day and evening.
Belvedere has been shaped through ongoing engagement with the Louisville community, whose insights have informed the project’s development from an early stage. Public consultation has played an important role in shaping the vision and will continue to guide its evolution.
Stuart Wood, Executive Partner at Heatherwick Studio, said:
“The ambition is to create a new civic heart for Louisville, where nature, culture and everyday life come together in a rejuvenated Belvedere. At its centre, the Firefly Pavilion creates an iconic new stage for the city – a flexible platform for culture, performance and community life, designed to evolve continually with Louisville and its people. Around it, the Belvedere will become a relaxed and richly planted park, bringing glorious nature back into the heart of downtown. More trees and planting provide shade and respite, while generous spaces for play, gathering and relaxation make it a place for every generation to enjoy.
Winding through the landscape is the Firefly Path, inspired by the dynamic flight of Kentucky’s fireflies. It encourages people to discover and experience the park differently each time, creating moments of surprise and delight within a landscape that feels natural, informal and unmistakably rooted in Louisville. A place for Louisville to come together, slow down, discover something unexpected
– and follow the fireflies.”
More than a landscape project, Belvedere is intended as an investment in the social life of Louisville. By creating a place where people can gather, linger and share experiences, the project aims to support the long-term vitality of downtown.
Construction of Belvedere is expected to begin in autumn 2026, with a grand opening anticipated in 2030.
