Mary McLeod Bethune School Playground Redesign
Aerial Drone Photography for Landscape Architecture and Urban Green Space Design
The Mary McLeod Bethune Schoolyards transforms an asphalt parking lot into a vibrant playground
The transformation of the Mary McLeod Bethune Schoolyard is a powerful example of how thoughtful design can turn underutilized asphalt lots into vibrant, climate-resilient community spaces. Led by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the project replaced a heat-absorbing blacktop with a green, welcoming schoolyard filled with trees, gardens, and play areas—designed to support both education and environmental resilience.
To capture the full impact of this transformation, McNaught Design was brought in to film aerial drone footage of the site at the ribbon cutting event. The aerial perspective allowed us to showcase the scale of the design, the spatial relationships between new landscape features, and the dramatic contrast between the renovated green space and the surrounding urban fabric. These visuals helped communicate what simply couldn’t be seen from the ground: how transformative design reshapes not only a space, but also the lives of the people who use it.
OLIN worked with Amber Arts to design the playground track and murals
Our drone imagery was featured in The Washington Post as part of a story highlighting how redesigned schoolyards are helping cities cool down and create equitable access to green space. We're proud to support projects like this—where design, climate solutions, and community impact come together.
Before and after of the Bethune Playground
The Bethune Schoolyard is a vibrant playground in North Philadelphia