The Gene Leahy Mall Entrance, made up of the Swings and Canopy, mark a point of transition between the urban edge of the park and it’s interior. Recognizable form and features of the Entrance facilitate its use as a monument of way-finding within the larger park, while the integration of the Swings, creates a place of play and gathering at this threshold. The construction of the Gene Leahy Mall is part of a redevelopment of the public space at the downtown Omaha waterfront. Adjacent to a stone arch from the park’s construction in the 1970’s - the new, flexing, Entrance Canopy finds it’s form from this history. Integrated lighting and use of thin perforated mesh give the effect that the canopy is floating below its structure. The double steel beam support allows for the structure to support both the swings and the entrance canopy. At the scale of the visitor, the material switches to wood to provide a more inviting tactile experience on the bench/swing surfaces. Photos by Bruce Damonte