The Dallas Water Commons is located along the southern cusp of downtown Dallas on land adjacent to the meandering Trinity River. It will serve residents and visitors as a utility for water movement and mitigation while also providing a place of respite near downtown. 

The Dallas Water Common’s intent is to create a series of design ecologies, natural and constructed systems that act to cleanse stormwater and site runoff before it enters the Trinity River. While this water cleansing process is a primary driver of design, equally important is the ability to allow for a variety of human interactions with natural and designed systems that are aesthetically pleasing, experientially engaging, educational, and inspiring. Once unique to Dallas and the region, it is essential to be authentic to the site’s found condition, local ecology, and planned future state of the surrounding land. 

The design is comprised of a water cleansing system and creates dynamic human experiences that make a framework for future success. While combining function and experience, Studio Outside identified three main goals: (1) The desire to create a higher quality of water within the system of Trinity River sumps focusing on Sumps 4 and 7. (2) The need to balance the creation of constructed wetlands and public spaces with the development value/potential of the project site. (3) High quality public spaces that support urban development, water quality, and education.