A group of boys skip on stones in a public outdoor space in Montreal

Public Outdoor Spaces: Behind the Design of Powerful Parks

METROPOLIS gathers its top articles that explore how public outdoor spaces—from pocket parks to playgrounds to regenerative landscape design—make a significant impact on urban livability, community, and environmental health.

In the rich tapestry of our cities, public outdoor spaces wield profound influence—bridging cultural divides, driving economic growth, and significantly contributing to mental and physical well-being. As communities and design professionals call for urban spaces with staying power, METROPOLIS explores what it takes to create sustainable landscapes, promote biodiversity, and nurture a widespread human connection with nature.

Image above: Parc Bonaventure in Montreal. Courtesy Rousseau Lefebvre Inc.

Contents

Public Space for All

Urban Parks and Playgrounds

Designing Sustainable Landscapes

The Voices of Landscape Architecture

METROPOLIS Outdoor Amenities Resource

Conclusion

Public Space for All

In the evolving realm of public outdoor spaces, communities are seeking more than access; citizens are pursuing the power to shape their surroundings, rectify injustices, and formulate a future that benefits all. As research underscores the positive impact of green, open spaces on physical and psychological well-being, the emphasis on creating such environments intensifies—with the promise of substantial benefits.

See how cities and developers are redefining public spaces to be inclusive, accessible, and diverse:

Public Space

Urban Parks and Playgrounds

Urban parks and playgrounds are experiencing a transformative shift, as many cities embrace the integration of ecology and habitat restoration with large-scale infrastructure—a concept reminiscent of Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision for New York’s Central Park. Beyond this, there is a calling to establish public spaces of refuge, or “third homes” (places beyond home and office), aimed at dismantling cultural and socioeconomic divides.

Explore how urban campuses, from Houston’s Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie to Memphis’s Tom Lee Park, are reimagining outdoor spaces for the greater good:

Urban Parks

Designing Sustainable Landscapes

While urban landscapes are beneficial to environmental and personal health, you might be surprised to find that they have a significant carbon footprint due to the materials they use. So how do we design landscapes that are sustainable? For one, we can regulate the embodied carbon of future projects to reshape the look and feel of outdoor spaces. For example, we could reconsider the necessity of plazas or take notes from the High Line Network, a group of infrastructure reuse projects. In addition, we can shift our approach regarding soil in our landscapes, focusing on composting to add back nutrients to soil while optimizing it for carbon sequestration.

Learn how we can design sustainable landscapes in the following articles:

Sustainable Landscapes

The Voices of Landscape Architecture

As landscape architecture continues to evolve to become more sustainable and open-minded, it’s important to recognize that change comes from acknowledging diverse professionals and perspectives from all over the world. For example, we can take notes on designing for resilience and democracy from landscape architect Thomas Balsley, call for a fundamental reimagining of how professional practice is structured with Los Angeles firm Terremoto, and learn about how Black landscapes can be rooted in a sense of place, justice, and historical truth from landscape designer Walter Hood. In addition, we can adopt sustainability lessons from architects like Konjian Yu, whose Sponge City concept increases a city’s resilience to floods by retaining water more efficiently. Not only do these viewpoints bring in unique designs and structures, but also bring in a well-rounded balance towards the industry.

Here, we highlight the voices of landscape architecture in the following articles:

Voices

METROPOLIS Outdoor Amenities Resource

When you think about the outdoors, you usually visualize undisturbed nature or beautiful city parks, but amenity spaces like outdoor work areas, gardens and open-air cafes can also be considered the urban outdoors as well. In fact, these outdoor amenities deserve the same attention as large civic projects do because they are just as critical to thriving communities and cities. To explore the idea further, METROPOLIS gathered tools, guides and manuals to help landscape architects, architects and interior designers leverage the holistic benefits of outdoor amenities.

Check Out Metropolis’ Outdoor Amenities Resource in the following articles:

Resource

Conclusion

Beyond serving as destinations for rest and retreat, public outdoor parks, playgrounds, and walkways consistently emerge as vibrant epicenters for community and congregation. While prioritizing access remains key in the ideation and reimagination of these spaces, a deeper dive unveils their potential to contribute significantly to the fight against climate change. Public outdoor spaces stand as vital components in the intricate web of urban life, playing a pivotal role in reshaping and revitalizing the future of our cities.

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