Bryant Park - A Modern Day "Pleasure Garden"

Bryant Park is one of the biggest success stories in the history of Placemaking. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, it used to be little more than a deserted patch of grass with barely any amenities within to attract visitation. Because of its lack of wholesome activity and the low visibility from the outside in, it became a hotbed for unsavory and illegal activity.

Drug dealing filled its dark nooks and shady characters wandered along its winding paths, discouraging visitors from stopping by. Litter was strewn across the grass and graffiti was sprayed across the monuments. At one point it even earned the nickname "Needle Park." Change was drastically needed.

In the 1970s, we came in with a Placemaking vision and helped develop a Master Plan for the space aimed at reprogramming it and giving it a new lease at life. The primary intervention we advocated for was programming. Now, Bryant Park has become a magnificent and flourishing public space, mainly because it is programmed from top to bottom, daily, and year-round. Individuals like Dan Biederman, head of the Bryant Park Corporation, can be commended for the durability and impact of this iconic activation. It is a testament to how a place doesn't have to change structurally to be completely and wonderfully transformed. All it needs is community members who care and great placemaking.

The Bones of the Park

The design of a space is not nearly as important as what happens there. But understanding the space's layout and how it connects to its surroundings helps reveal opportunities for improvement and activation.

Bryant Park has a simple design that has remained more or less the same over the past century. It has a large main lawn (perfect for events and picnicking), alleys lined by shade-throwing trees (perfect for seating and cafés), a fountain (perfect focal point for gathering at), and various gardens and monuments throughout for visual appeal.

Structurally, the high walls that once blocked the views of what was going on inside the park made it so the space didn't feel welcoming. These walls created a barrier between the park and the surrounding community. They also created dark and hidden corners that fostered conditions which supported illicit activity. Taking down these walls and redesigning the entrances to have a more open layout was a key structural change that opened the park up and encouraged visitation.

Amenities

The key to making places great is filling them with amenities that make people want to be there. Amenities add comfort, pleasure, convenience, safety, and joy to a place. If a public space is just a field, as Bryant Park initially was and as many "parks" still are, then there is nothing that makes people want to go and spend time there. Amenities are what draw us into a space and inspire us to stick around. Bryant Park has many.

[Amenities]: Evergreen Article/Resource Guide

Amenities are what attracts people to places, encourages them to linger for a while, and lures them back again and again. If we want to make places that people choose to spend time in and return to, we have to add amenities that make the experience of being there comfortable

Social Life ProjectTayana Panova

Seating

As with other famous public spaces like Luxembourg Gardens and Harvard Yard, Bryant Park's metal chairs are one of its most iconic amenities. These chairs, because they are easily moveable, give people the flexibility to sit where and how they want, either alone or with friends. Their green color blends pleasantly with the greenery of the park and their design is lightweight and comfortable. They have transformed the park from a place to walk through into a place to hang out at.

Cafés and restaurants

One of the most common things people want to do when they are out and about is get something to eat or drink. What's more enjoyable than getting a hot cocoa on a cold day or an ice cream on a hot one? When you add places for food and refreshment to a public place, you almost always attract visitation. In Bryant Park, a variety of cafés, bars, and restaurants have been set up for every mood and season.

The restaurant by the library, as the main business in the park, is a key anchor and one of the park's major focal points. What's more, a portion of its profits go to managing and maintaining the space. This is a great strategy to fund the upkeep of a public space and create a symbiotic relationship between the public and private realms.

Shade

Bryant Park's ample trees create a pleasant and enjoyable outdoor environment. Without them, the sun would be relentlessly beating down and discouraging people from hanging out. Now, rows and rows of seats and tables are laid out in the alleys under the leafy crowns of the trees and people feel comfortable enjoying the park from morning to evening, summer to winter.

Bathrooms

An often overlooked but incredibly important amenity for public spaces is the bathroom. A bathroom makes it possible and comfortable for people of all ages to spend a longer period of time in a space. Bryant Park's bathrooms are incredibly clean and pleasant and are widely known as the best public bathrooms in the city.

Programming

At the heart of a great public space is programming. People don't only want to look at things like a fountain or consume things like coffee, they want to experience things, especially together with other people. Concerts, competitions, dance classes, festivals, etc. are events that attract crowds everywhere in the world. Activities are what bring people to a place and get them to return again and again. Programming year-round keeps a place busy and buzzing. Bryant Park is one of the best examples of this principle in action.

Concerts

The summer marks movie and concert season in Bryant Park. A huge stage is set up on the great lawn and signs display a packed schedule of screenings and performances. When the weather is nice (and often even when it isn't) the park is packed with excited attendees. People bring picnic blankets and snacks and enjoy a memorable show among friends, family, and neighbors.

Ice skating rink

In the winter months, the grass of the lawn is replaced by ice. An ice skating rink is set up to take the edge off the cold and gives people something to look forward to even during the gloomy season. Skaters laugh, glide, and fall, then take well-earned breaks at the adjacent lodge where hot cocoa can be found. The rink and Christmas market make Bryant Park the epicenter of New York's holiday celebrations.

Christmas market

Bryant Park's market is one of NYC's holiday highlights. With its charming booths full of all kinds of artisan crafts, souvenirs, and treats, it brings a wave of joy and energy to the park every year, as well as helping support small businesses. The great thing about the market is that it weaves through the whole park and surrounds the main attraction of the ice skating rink so foot traffic flows in all directions.

Little library

Colorful book shelves on wheels and seating areas under umbrellas in this part of the park are a wonderful activity to take part in for people of all ages. The outdoor "reading room" encourages reading, connecting, and spending time in the fresh air while learning something new or pouring over an enthralling story. The space is welcoming for people to read alone, with a friend, or even in a reading group.

Ping Pong

One of Bryant Park's staples is its ping pong tables where you can see people of every age and background facing off against each other in friendly competition. Ping pong is a great activity for a public space because it is safe, simple to play, and welcoming for people at all ability levels.

Petanque

A great public place needs to offer activities for every segment of the population. Too often, elderly people are overlooked when activities and play areas are introduced. Games like petanque are fun and accessible for people at every age. The petanque courts in Bryant Park are always in full swing.

Yoga and other guided events in the park

With its plentiful space to stretch and move about, Bryant Park's main lawn is a perfect venue for hosting group follow-along activities like yoga or dance classes. You'll often here a teacher's gentle voice calling out steps from the stage as hundreds of eager attendees follow along.

Juggling Classes

One of the most unique and fun offerings in Bryant Park is its famous juggling classes. You can often catch people spinning and twirling colorful batons throughout the year as they learn tips and tricks to master their juggling skills.

Game Corner

One of Bryant Park's most beloved programs is the Game Corner where all kinds of board and card games are offered for people to play together. What's more, the park regularly hosts Game Socials to encourage people to connect and make friends with other board game enthusiasts.

Bryant Park is a fantastic example of what happens when you shift your focus away from what a public space looks like and turn it to what kind of activities it hosts and how it welcomes people in to take part in them. When we opened up Bryant Park's borders to make it feel inviting and then added a number of activities and programs for people of every age and interest, the park came alive with activity. Today it is the beating heart of Midtown Manhattan and recognized as one of the best public places in the world.