​Located along the St. Joseph River in Mishawaka, IN, a town of 50,000 near South Bend, Robert C. Beutter Riverfront Park was built in the early 2000s. Initial plans called for a phased approach to adding amenities to the 10-acre park, including a future event center, ice rink, and café. Recently, one of the amenities was completed. Ball Band Biergarten, a European-style garden in the middle of the park, opened in the summer of 2020. The garden includes a unique application of Upfit Adaptive Outdoor Structure and mix of custom and standard Landscape Forms products. 

Joe Mayes, Senior Associate with Indianapolis-based Context Design, worked closely with city leaders and with Landscape Forms to create a vibrant and sophisticated design. “We liked the idea of a smaller linear space and café within the park,” says Mayes. “The Biergarten is situated near an area where fireworks shows and concerts are held, so it’s a prime location.” 

Mayes took a small group from the City of Mishawaka to see firsthand the manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan. “My clients were concerned about issues of durability and maintenance with the furnishings,” he explains. The visit allayed their concerns. It was also perfectly timed. Upfit had just been launched, and Mayes’ clients loved the product and its sensor roof. “They felt a shaded structure would be a nice amenity for park goers,” Mayes says. “And they were attracted to Upfit’s durability and flexibility.” 

The design of the Biergarten required sigificant wiring and conduit to power security cameras, café lighting, and speakers and to display flags and banners. That led to a novel application of Upfit elements at the site. “The Upfit team custom-designed Upfit posts with larger interiors to carry electrical cables. We also designed the posts with welded top caps for attaching café lights,” explains Landscape Forms Structure Sales Engineer Shannon Zemlick. Even the Upfit structure was a custom size. In total, there are six 12’x12’x10’ Upfit zones offering 864 square feet of covered space and 28 6”x6 x10’ Upfit posts. 

Landscape Forms’ Mark Haase says of the Ball Band Biergarten: “This was a project with a beautiful design executed properly. It features a nice mix of custom and standard products that share a design aesthetic and fit and finish that together look like a family of products.”