Guthrie Green is green in ways you can’t even see. A downtown community park in the center of the Arts District of Tulsa, Guthrie Green hosts over 300 free events each year! Festivals, concerts, and art fairs are all centered here on the lush greenspace with lawns and walkways. Guthrie Green is also the center of the First Friday Art Market. Local businesses, eateries, and galleries open their doors for the evening with additional food vendors lining the street.
But just how green are they? While there is no shortage of awesome things to look at, you would be amazed at the magic happening just below the surface. The park was constructed where there were once abandoned warehouses and junkyards. It was designed by KKT Architects, Inc. with “an innovative ground-source heat pump energy system”, this solar-powered feature uses pipes that run 500 feet deep to transfer heat to and from the ground below. This means that during the summer, the pavilions around Guthrie Green are cooler, and during the winter they’re kept warmer. That makes this outdoor space even more enjoyable all year long. Wow, impressive! Clearly, this remarkable green space is more than meets the eye. It’s hard to imagine all of that right there underneath where families are picnicking and small children are running, playing, and dancing.
The space is constructed to be inclusive and those using wheelchairs should have no obstacles. The surrounding streets have sidewalks and nice curb cuts at each intersection. There is a lot to see and I particularly enjoyed visiting 108 Contemporary’s current exhibition. If the weather is nice and you are in Tulsa, you won’t want to miss First Friday at Guthrie Green.