Designing Our Energy Park

The remarkable design for Holland’s future energy park bears the thumbprint of a broad cross-section of expert city planners, community leaders and environmental activists. Early on in the design process, the Holland BPW recognized the importance of community involvement on the development of a gateway that would change the look of our city for years to come. In the same spirit as our city’s Community Energy Plan and the Sustainable Return on Investment study, we enlisted representative leadership from across community to join a Blue Ribbon Panel that would work with architects to define the aesthetic and spatial impact of the energy park on the city.

Blue Ribbon Panel Established

Members came from:

  • The City of Holland
  • The Holland Board of Public Works
  • Holland Township
  • Hope College
  • Other Local Organizations
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Ideation

The panel discusses the values most important to the plant:

  • Look & Feel
  • Community Access

Concept & Style Development

HDR, the architect, presents initial references and styles that tie-in to the values requested by the panel

The panel weighs "traditional" vs "progressive" styles

The educational "spine" concept is introduced

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Refinement of Concepts

HDR Presents two strong, initial concepts

The panel reconciles concepts from each, getting instant feedback via 3D modeling software

Final Concepts

HDR presents the final architectural and park designs

With some adjustments, the Architectural Blue Ribbon Panel comes to a consensus

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Presentation to City Council

In a joint Board/Council Meeting, the HBPW presents the results of the Blue Ribbon Panel

Shortly after, the design is released publicly with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community

Read more about the impact of the Holland Energy Park design.