Developed in collaboration with landscape architect SCAPE, the design of the 30-acre park is informed by the dynamic flow patterns that characterize the Mississippi River. Both architecture and landscape work together smoothly to facilitate the movement of people into and through the park and to capture—on land—the sense of motion and change that the river exemplifies. The park is named for Tom Lee, a local African-American hero who rescued 32 people from the river in 1925.

New and improved entrances extend from major streets to open up access to the park and create strong connections with surrounding neighborhoods and civic institutions. The park’s program incorporates ideas and input from Memphians across the city. Designed to support their specific ambitions and pastimes, new structures emerge from the landscape to accommodate diverse uses flexibly and highlight them against the living backdrop of the Mississippi.