Learning From Paris' Parks

10 June 2004 - 9:00am

There's a common perception that Paris is an untouchable ideal, too lofty for other cities to absorb its lessons. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Paris's parks, squares, buildings, and boulevards--both good and bad--illuminate ideas that every city and town can apply to their own public spaces. "Overall, Paris probably has the best parks of any city in the world. There are a great number of different types and sizes of parks, located in neighborhoods throughout the city. But their success is not simply a matter of variety or quantity, and not all parks are well-used. The real question is: 'Why are some parks in Paris so popular, while others are not?' "

Source: Project For Public Spaces, October 24, 2005
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