MillTown Gateway Art Park Vision
Imagine a whimsical place with colorful art houses, a culinary trail, greenhouse gardens, and more.
The Cotton Mill is an historic landmark for the City of McKinney. Up until the 1980's, the community surrounding the Cotton Mill was known as MillTown. We're thrilled to work with the Cotton Mill Partners to introduce the design concept for the future MILLTOWN GATEWAY ART PARK on the 1.6-acre parcel of land at the corner of Macdonald and Elm in East McKinney -- only minutes from the downtown square.
The MillTown Gateway Art Park will be open to the public during the day, and will be available for private events in the evenings. We envision a place where visitors will enjoy ARTropolis, a colorful art house village; a Culinary Trail, featuring local chefs and food vendors; an open air amphitheater and terraced seating for music and events; a lounge and play area, and a greenhouse and gardens to support local chefs and caterers and for community education opportunities to practice sustainable gardening techniques to foster healthy eating alternatives.
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ALL design concepts created by Kurt Ortley of designKor in Dallas, TX.
Art Park Concept Features
Sculpture Entrance
Sculpture Entrance
Sculpture Entrance
The Art Park is delineated by an Art Deco-inspired iron fence that directs visitors to the Main Entry Plaza, where they are greeted by a large wing-like Pergola and Sculpture Fountain. Behind the Sculpture Fountain is the open air Amphitheater and terraced seating.
ARTropolis
Sculpture Entrance
Sculpture Entrance
Artropolis offers a whimsical art house village, where visitors can explore unique architectural designs with murals painted by local artists. These art houses can be reserved for meals, meetings, telework, or time to relax. Some of the structures may be rented to art vendors.
Culinary Trail
Sculpture Entrance
Culinary Trail
The Culinary Trail will feature fresh food designed by local chefs for eating in the park or take away. Food vendors may also offer local products, in addition to produce grown in the Art Park Greenhouse and Gardens. Visitors can eat, drink, or take a moment to relax.
Amphitheater
Greenhouse Gardens
Culinary Trail
The open air Amphitheater offers a place for special events, from local music performances, award presentations, weddings, or a simple lunch with friends.
Lounge and Play
Greenhouse Gardens
Greenhouse Gardens
The Lounge and Play area offers a shaded retreat for reading a book, eating lunch, meeting friends, or just taking a break to recharge between appointments.
Greenhouse Gardens
Greenhouse Gardens
Greenhouse Gardens
The Greenhouse and Gardens will offer fresh produce and flowers for Culinary Trail chefs and caterers, Cotton Mill events, and provide community education opportunities.
Design Inspiration
"FUNKY MILLTOWN" BY GAIL DELGER
MillHouse studio artist Gail Delger's "Funky MillTown" mural on the exterior wall of MillHouse at the McKinney Cotton Mill inspired our design concept, created by Architect Kurt Ortley of designKor in collaboration with MillHouse and the Cotton Mill Partners, Ltd.
About Art Park Architect Kurt Ortley
Meet Kurt
Kurt Ortley of designKor believes that creative solutions are a response to the holistic understanding of the design challenge. We delve into the emotions, needs, and behaviors within the spaces we design. Design is a collaborative journey of listening and observing. "In operating Designkor, I find that we can be driven by passion, that we can offer good design to everyone, and that this can be good business." Kurt's advice to young architects: "Keep as much childlike wonder for the world as possible."