Acclaimed Architect Designs Tulsa Gathering Place

The Kaiser Family Foundation hired one of America's most-acclaimed landscape architects to bring their vision of Gathering Place to life.    

Michael Van Valkenburgh tells us he believes great cities are defined by parks, and Tulsa's Gathering Place is his latest masterpiece.

Van Valkenburgh says he began dreaming up designs for the park the moment he learned about the project about eight years ago. 

"I knew it was gonna be great," he said. "I was surprised that a piece of land that big right in the middle of the city was still sitting there the way it was."

"I think people see this as another piece in the puzzle of making a truly great place to live and to raise families."

News On 6 caught up with Van Valkenburgh at Brooklyn Bridge Park which he designed, along with Boston's Children's Museum and presidential libraries for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

He's working on another multi-million dollar project right now in Tulsa, the new Gateway pedestrian bridge.

The new Arkansas River pedestrian bridge is an arched bridge that will be the first of its kind in the country. Voters approved spending $24.5 million to replace the current bridge.