Flavet Park at University of Florida

Project Description:

Flavet Park represents a bold reinvention of outdoor recreation at the University of Florida, offering a thoughtfully curated mix of active play, social gathering areas and flexible event spaces. The project transformed a former parking lot into a vibrant, central campus amenity that supports both active and passive recreation — from pickleball, tennis, sand volleyball and a putting green to more relaxed experiences, such as a hammock area, shaded seating, lawn games and a synthetic turf lawn. The central lawn is equipped with integrated sound and festoon lighting to host movie nights, game viewings and other large outdoor events. A new covered pavilion provides flexible space for club meetings and shaded study. It also serves as the backdrop for movies and game broadcasts across the lawn. The design process was guided by extensive student engagement, with feedback shaping the park’s layout, activity zones and amenities. As a result, the space includes a variety of furniture types and gathering areas that support groups of different sizes, along with onsite lockers that give students easy access to recreation equipment. Sustainability was central to the vision for Flavet Park, and the project is pursuing Sustainable SITES Gold Certification to reflect UF’s commitment to high performance and environmentally responsible design. The park incorporates sustainable stormwater management strategies, makes extensive use of recycled materials and preserves significant existing trees.