IMAGE © JUAN HERNANDEZ
Site design for Taylor 28 includes fixed and movable seating and integral LED lighting to activate this linear park space day and night. Laser-cut metal seatwalls represent the concept of multiple ‘flows’—people, light, wind and water—within the space.
to build their P-patch in the park. It’s really inspiring to witness this hybrid park [a park and P-patch] as a community catalyst—rising from a parking lot, establishing functioning urban agriculture, and growing lasting relationships,” notes Craig Skipton, associate at Mithun and project landscape architect for Summit Slope Park.
zens are being involved, we are seeing tough decisions being made and strong consensus building, whereas in communities where the verdict of cuts is presented from above, we are seeing resentment and in-fighting.”
HOW PARKS CAN “COMPETE” In as much as parks have diversified in form and function Proactive community involvement is even more impor- over the past 150 years, the real question is how they will tant today as budgets continue to wane. City planners evolve next. “Parks need to compete with the technology in Portland, Oregon, are attempting to head off budget and games that kids are inundated with—and they need frustrations by enlisting public feedback to prioritize to be fun,” notes Peter Harnik, the Trust for Public Land the community’s needs. “Right after roads and bridges, Director of the Center for City Park Excellence. parks and open space are at the top of the needs list,” notes Janet Bebb, Principal Regional Planner at Metro. As cities implement comprehensive planning exercisShe describes the power of people working together to es, parks should be considered part of the future vision, create positive change: “In communities where citi- not after-thoughts, especially at the edges where cur-
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Spring 2011