BLOCK 34 PARK

• Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma

• Owner: City of Stillwater

• Architect: SWE Architects

• Landscape Architect: Alaback Design

• Size: 2 Acres

• Photographer: James F. Wilson

LuM Lighting Design worked with City of Stillwater, OK, landscape architect, Alaback Design and architect SWE Architects on Block 34, a transformative parking-lot-to-city-park project 20+ years in the making, realized through generous public and private investment and deep collaboration. The 2-acre, one-block park actively engages both Oklahoma State University and the surrounding community, featuring a sound stage, open-air pavilion, great lawn, splash park, inclusive musical playground, musician’s walk and recognition area, mobile-vendor zone, stone-terraced gardens, and sensitively landscaped tree allées. Within the first six months of operation, park managers reported event attendance and daily usage that far exceeded initial projections.

Grounded in natural architectural materials—stone, wood, zinc, and concrete—and supported by water-sensitive landscaping strategies, Block 34 establishes a distinctive atmosphere that honors the city’s legendary musical heritage while introducing a contemporary, energetic edge. Architectural and landscape lighting were conceived as a cohesive kit-of-parts, ensuring visual consistency across buildings and site elements. The Stage and Pavilion share architectural language, and their lighting responds in kind: grazing illumination along zinc-clad flared eaves creates a luminous edge and material emphasis, while recessed linear luminaires accentuate the Stage’s soaring ceilings and reinforce the Pavilion’s balanced geometry.