Located at the intersection of Seattle’s Central District, Beacon Hill, and Mount Baker neighborhoods, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park was originally developed in response to community advocacy for public spaces that honor Black culture and memory. Building on that legacy, a group of stakeholder organizations came together in 2024 to create a new addition to the park: a memorial garden for families and survivors impacted by gun violence. 

The stakeholders envisioned a serene and supportive sanctuary that harnesses the power of nature, community gathering, and healthy foods to offer solace for those at all stages of grieving. To bring this vision to life on a steeply sloped site, the design centers on a winding memorial walk: a contemplative path that invites personal reflection, with spaces along the way to pause, connect with nature, and visit with lost loved ones. The path is held at both ends by spaces for collective growth, gathering, and joy: an herb and native plant garden next to the existing memorial fountain, and a terraced community garden that offers space for food production, youth programming, and gathering. The memorial walk weaves its way through layers of meadow planting and native food forest, with memorial trellises designed by Colloqate creating moments for pause and reflection.