How Small Buildings Can Seed Vitality in Public Places
A small building is like a seed – wherever it is planted, public life grows around it and thrives.
Pleasure Gardens10
More often than not, parks are mere patches of greenspace with nothing there to experience, engage with, or enjoy. Instead, we prefer the "pleasure garden," a kind of park that was popular in the late 1700s and 1800s in parts of Europe where the design, amenities, and entertainment options were crafted with the intention to create a pleasant experience for visitors.
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From Passive Parks to Pleasure Gardens: Transforming Underused Greenspace Into Beloved Destinations
To turn parks into places that all kinds of people want to visit and spend time in, they have to offer more than just grass and trees. They have to offer joy and pleasure.
Stockholm's Kungsträdgården - A Great Park is a "Playground for Everyone"
The magic of Kungsträdgården is that the whole central lawn feels like a playground - not one specifically for kids, but for everybody. That is what makes it so welcoming, joyful, and alive.
How Bryant Park Catalyzed the Transformation of Midtown Manhattan and Inspired Public Spaces Everywhere
Bryant Park was transformed from a place people avoided to a destination people flocked to through programming and placemaking and is now the gold standard for a great public space.
Mexico City's Huerto Roma Verde - the Ultimate Gathering Place
A combination square, market, and event space, Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City is built and managed by members of the community and is a perfect example of Placemaking.
Back to the Future: Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens is one of the world's most incredible examples of a multi-layered hub of social life and an example for parks to follow.