Lake Toxaway Nature Park

The Lake Toxaway Nature Park is a private park for the Lake Toxaway Estates community. Lift[ED] worked with stakeholders for three years in an intense, engaging, and fun design process to provide a park that engages all ages and nestles carefully into a woodland of native rhododendrons and other native plants. Our services for this project included participatory design workshops, conceptual design, schematic design, construction documentation, fundraising assistance, construction administration, and ongoing engagement through annual inspections.

This is a special project for Lift[ED] because owner and director Jesse Turner grew up in the area, working with his family landscape design and installation business. As a child, Turner was at his father’s heels working for homeowners in the Lake Toxaway Estates development. His school bus in elementary school often stopped at the entrance to the development where he got off and went to work with his dad instead of going home. He grew up in an enriched environment full of nature, people working together towards common goals, and landscape design. Later on he received a scholarship from the Lake Toxaway Garden Club for college, and continued to pursue his passions with the support of his community.

This park is a way of saying thanks and an opportunity for Turner to bring his design skills home. The Nature Park is the first age-inclusive family park in the development and we are happy that we are able to make it all about playing in and being surrounded by the stunning natural context that makes the area special. The park has already been filled with visitors and nature-based programs for kids have already begun. It is with great pride and pleasure that we share this unique place, and we are grateful to the Lake Toxaway Community Association for trusting us to deliver something that serves the entire community.

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The Raleigh School Elementary Play and Learning Area

Schematic Design

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Lift[ED] returns to The Raleigh School, 5 years after working with the school on their preschool outdoor learning environment, to design the new play and learning area for the elementary school. Our work builds on a foundation of community at the school and extends learning beyond the classroom into the great outdoors. We worked with TRS teachers and administrators to solidify goals and visions into a plan that transforms their existing 2 acre play area from a simple field with play equipment into a dynamic living and learning lab. 

Conceptual Design Alternatives

Follow the Child Montessori School

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Follow the Child Montessori School has been in operation since 2001 and started as a parent-driven venture. Jesse Turner worked as the lead site designer for the outdoor play areas while Design Coordinator at The Natural Learning Initiative, as part of the school's expansion to a new campus. Working as a team along with Philips Architecture and Sepi Engineering, Jesse provided valuable and unique insight on the spatial needs of children. He led stakeholder meetings with teachers and staff, prepared plans, and advised the school on budgeting for initial construction. 

After his time at NLI ended, Jesse continued to work with the school. Lift[ED] created construction drawings and advised volunteers, led by Jeremy Hauch of Hauch Design.