John Coyle received his Masters in Architecture from Tulane University and began working in the non-profit sector, first as an Americorps VISTA at the Small Center for Collaborative Design and then as Construction Manager for Youth Rebuilding New Orleans. Coyle formed Urbanscapes Design + Build to connect his passion for public service and public spaces and collaborate with creative people in New Orleans on public spaces through art, architecture, and landscape design. 

Urbanscapes is a multidisciplinary team of artists, fabricators, landscape contractors, architects, activists, and educators. We believe in a collaborative, community-driven design process to activate public spaces with innovative water management strategies and creative placemaking.  We worked with community partners, greenway users, and neighbors to transform a former parking lot and blighted area into a vibrant public plaza. 

The Greenway Plaza welcomes visitors with a bright new bike path in rainbow colors.  It features colorful, interactive artwork throughout, a beautifully landscaped bioswale with native plants for water management, various types of seating arrangements, and a large stage. We had hundreds of community members respond to a survey that included our schematic designs so people could give feedback and tell us what they wanted.  What emerged from this process was that people wanted to see a vibrant space that was flexible in use, that could be a space to have meetings or events, a place for kids to play, a place people could express themselves, or just hang out.  Twice a week the Crescent City Farmers Market will make the Plaza their new home, and Friends of Lafitte Greenway will continue to program events in the Plaza and on the new stage at its center.