The Planters company has revealed plans to assist cities in designing and building urban pocket parks in underused land. In return, the parks will include branding from the company, including a Mr. Peanut statue sitting on a peanut bench.
The folks at the American Society of Landscape Architect's blog weigh the pros and cons.
A sample of the pros: "The parks will be designed for public use and it sounds like will eventually be turned over to the city governments."
And of the cons: "Public spaces are being over-the-top 'branded' by a private company, further blurring the lines between private and public domains."
The lack of public input into the design process is another concern, says ASLA. The parks are slated to appear in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New Orleans and New York City.
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