Last July, Downtown Indianapolis played host to a spectacular outdoor greenspace designed with artificial turf from SYNLawn Indiana. Situated at the southwest corner of Monument Circle, SPARK: On the Circle was a collaborative effort between Downtown Indy, Inc., the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Big Car Collaborative, the Capital Improvement Board and other organizations.
Since the pandemic of 2020 forced workers to adopt remote work styles, Indianapolis, like other major cities across the USA, has been looking for innovative ways to bring back and keep its workforce and visitors in the Downtown area to support its ancillary businesses, restaurants, and cultural entities. Building on a tradition of staging one-day cultural events around its iconic Monument Circle – located in the heart of the city and the state – community and civic leaders partnered with artists to implement a pedestrian-friendly closure of one quadrant of Monument Circle.
From July through November 2023, visitors enjoyed daily programming, games, live performances, and cultural events on 13 circles of environmentally friendly SYNLawn turf. The activities took place throughout the week and were a perfect opportunity for the business community and residents to bring friends and coworkers for a unique and thrilling experience.
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“SPARK on the Circle is an incredible team effort to make a welcoming, comfortable, social, playful, and creative place that’s truly for everyone,” said Jim Walker, executive director of Big Car Collaborative. “This is a bold move that shows residents and visitors alike that our city really cares about them. SPARK is a place where you can spend time with family, make friends, and feel restored after taking a breather in this green oasis in the heart of our city.”
– Mayor Joe Hogsett
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Downtown Indy Inc. (DII), charged with ongoing development, management, activation, and marketing of Downtown Indianapolis, connected Landscape Architect and Urban Design firm Merritt Chase to long-time DII Marketing Board member and SYNLawn Indiana Community Relations Director Lorraine Phillips Vavul to ask about the feasibility of SYNLawn artificial grass being used to literally and figuratively green the historic center of town. Seeing urban design firm Merritt Chase’s innovative proposal using multiple-sized circles – to play off the location SYNLawn Indiana immediately grew excited by this artistic opportunity and economic development driver for the city. SYNLawn Indiana’s head of operations and installations, Everette Bryant, went to work calculating how to best execute Merritt Chase Landscape Designer Danica Liongson’s striking vision requiring installation of 34 rolls of turf as well as adherence to the City’s need for a condensed five-day installation window over the 2023 Independence Day holiday. The SYNLawn Indiana crew did not disappoint and ended up receiving the 2023 Best Municipality Project at SYNLawn’s global conference held in January 2024!
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“The addition of the turf truly transformed the space into a warm, vibrant, and inviting attraction drawing 78,000 visitors, far exceeding the City’s expectations. In fact, it was so popular, SPARK is coming back in 2024 with a longer duration, longer daily hours, and more entertainment.”
– Lorraine Phillips Vavul, SYNLawn Indiana Community Relations Director
SYNLawn Indiana Artificial Grass
The landscape for SPARK: On the Circle was created with our SYNSport artificial grass. Engineered specifically for golf fairways and multi-sport applications, this economic turf is an excellent fit for large-scale projects where quality and value are top priorities. SYNSport can be used both indoors and outdoors and requires no traditional maintenance throughout the year.
Additional benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Super Yarn™ technology combines Sanitized® antimicrobial, DualChill™ technology, and StatBlock™ anti-static
- Trionic Plus™ technology – Nylon + PE entangled fibers create a soft and extremely durable multi-use turf perfect for high-traffic applications
- EnviroLoc+™ plant-based backing system locks in turf fibers to prevent shedding
- SuperDrain+™ technology creates a maximum drainage rate of up to 1,200 inches per hour
- UV-stabilized yarns
- IPEMA and ASTM certifications to meet commercial safety standards
- ASTM E108 Class A fire-rated and proven to prevent the spread of fires
- Unmatched lifetime warranty
SPARK: On the Circle is an Eco-Friendly Project
SYNLawn is the only provider of plant-based artificial turf. We are dedicated to creating sustainable landscapes that stand the test of time with a lifetime of performance, durability, and quality. Our installation for SPARK: On the Circle does not require traditional maintenance. From the moment it was complete, it was ready for use. Our synthetic turf saves customers the time and money that would otherwise be lost to countless hours of mowing, watering, and reseeding.
Our turf is proven to conserve tens of thousands of gallons of water per year, depending on the size of the project, and significantly reduce carbon emissions. In addition, our customers can experience savings of up to 70% on their water bill after replacing their grass with SYNLawn Indiana artificial turf. Since 2008, we have worked closely with American farmers to source renewable soybeans and sugar cane to replace harmful components such as petroleum from our manufacturing.
Additionally, commercial properties that complete eco-friendly projects with SYNLawn are eligible to earn LEED credits toward their green building certification.
We are proud to have been part of this incredible project and look forward to continuing to work with the city in the future. SPARK: On the Circle will return on June 1, 2024, a month earlier than last year, and will run through November 3, 2024. Additionally, a modified version of SPARK on the Circle will remain open past Nov. 3 to complement DII’s Circle of Lights holiday festivities.
SYNLawn Indiana is licensed, bonded, and insured to complete projects of any size in Indianapolis, IN – from small backyards to multi-million-dollar commercial projects. We work closely with architects, landscape designers, general contractors, and more to ensure the highest quality sustainable landscapes. For more information about SYNLawn Indiana artificial grass and our installation services, contact us today to schedule your free consultation.