How To Design Parks That Will Make You Want To Spend Your Time Outdoors?

By Author: National Monuments Foundation
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In the twenty-first century, our parks and natural spaces are where we can still feel a fundamental connection to nature. Parks play an important role in public health, preservation, and conservation, from providing places for people to exercise to keeping children safe while they play. Furthermore, their beauty is a source of pride for the community. In a nutshell, as we all know, our parks are vital to our communities.

Why do are parks vital to communities?
Residents in Atlanta, Georgia value parks and recreation centres for their green open spaces and activities. Park architecture Atlanta not only entertains children and adults, but it also helps to improve the local infrastructure. Personal, environmental, familial, communal, and economic value are all provided by parks and playgrounds.
Here are some basic guidelines we put together to help you make your parks functional:

Choose a park location strategically
The first step is always to select a location for a park. If you have a park site in mind or are considering several options, consider the following basic characteristics:

- Is ...
... the location wheelchair accessible, and is it easily accessible by public transportation, car, or bicycle? The easier it is to get to the park, the more likely it will be used. It is critical to provide inclusive playgrounds in order to make everyone feel welcome.
- Is there a historic site or a specific location in the park that may attract visitors for reasons other than nature? Use your city's unique qualities and history to increase park attendance and develop community relations.
- Is the location you're thinking about in a safe neighbourhood with a low crime rate?
It could be an area that is already connected to public property, such as school grounds, or it could be vacant and ready for development. It could also be private land that has been made public through estate donations or acquisitions by service organisations.
Regardless, parks must be open to the public if they are to meet the community's highest and greatest expectations.

Involve the public throughout the planning stage
Park design is not and should not be a solitary pursuit. No one understands the needs of the community better than its residents. It is critical that the community be involved in the park design process. A group of community thinkers will identify the strengths and weaknesses in planned and evolving strategies. People who are concerned will undoubtedly express their preferences.

Know the market and the area
Is your town densely populated with young families and a large school district? If this is the case, your park should accommodate their needs. Or, do you have an older people's community in your area that includes older couples? Maybe a lovely blend of the two?

If your park is near several local schools, you should think about making it kid-friendly. Similarly, if the park is close to senior housing or homes, it should engage local seniors. A recent study found that seniors made up 20% of the population but only 4% of park visitors. As a park designer, you should consider ways to increase community involvement and use of local green spaces.

Consider architecture and landscaping
While you can use your imagination to park landscape design the facilities and overall layout of your park, the local environment will have an impact on some of it. A park's architecture and landscaping are critical components.

Consider the setting. Working with the earth is preferable in many situations. The hills, banks, and flats in your park add to the natural atmosphere. There are far too many "parking lot" parks, and your design should go in the opposite direction.

To allow park visitors to appreciate their surroundings, vistas or view corridors must be protected. This includes avoiding installing playground equipment in such a way that it obstructs views. It may also be necessary to rearrange park elements in order to conceal utility lines or surrounding structures.

Think about the sun pattern. The sun cannot be changed, but the time and season can. Best tree utilisation may provide natural shade. Alternatively, fake screens can be used to create shade. This is especially hazardous in playgrounds where children may become sunburned or scalded.

Provide a variety of park activities
Most park plans include deciding how to design your park area to accommodate various activities or recreation. Sports fields, a pavilion with barbecues for parties and cookouts? Or perhaps on-site restrooms? Or will it be a smaller space with only a few well-chosen playground elements?

Most residential parks require playground equipment. Modern playground equipment is created with a great deal of creativity and originality. Consider playground, inclusive elements, outdoor fitness equipment, portables, and sheds as park and playground features.

Design a park with lighting
Lighting is an essential component of park design. You want your park to be used as much as possible, not just during the day. A summer day with a short night may seem insignificant. However, this changes in the autumn, and it stays dark until April.

Park lighting options abound, just like playground equipment. The best piece of advice for a park planner is to pick a theme. Whether the park is re-creating a historical aesthetic, highlighting natural features, or creating entirely new worlds. Make an inconspicuous illustration of the park's theme. But there are rays!

Make it eco-friendly
Visitors to your park want to know that they are helping the environment by spending time outside and using environmentally friendly products. Parks are sometimes city dwellers' only access to greenery, so they must be designed with animals, clean air, and water in mind.
To encourage children's love of nature, use educational signs to name trees and plants in your park or recreation centre. Set up recycling stations near garbage cans, complete with glass, plastic, and paper bins. As a result, you may be able to convince your entire community to recycle. You could also organise park-wide cleanups to get the community involved.

Know more about National Monuments Foundation, please visit www.thenmf.org.