Congratulations to Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects on their Merit Award in the Communications and Research Category for their project Machicomoco in Gloucester County, VA.

This park is dedicated to sharing the history, cosmology, and lifeways of the Virginia Algonquians. From the beginning the designers engaged with tribal members, local citizens, archaeologists, and experts in regional history to create a landscape that reveals and explores Indigenous geography and cosmology.

The landscape honors and expresses the site’s deep Algonquian roots, connecting visitors to this captivating history. The interpretive plan invites visitors to consider the breadth of the land’s cultural and ecological legacy as they enjoy and experience the diverse landscape.

The strategy for communication relied on two devices: one that provided information on the 30 Algonquian tribes – their past, present, and projected future – and another that sought to attune the visitor’s senses to the natural environment through the lens of the Algonquian world-view. The overarching approach sought to provide information with minimal, concentrated signage while simultaneously provoking questions and curiosity.