A respite from the stresses of city life, 'lungs' that cleanse the air and cool surrounding streets, places for connecting with other citizens, or grounds for artistic expression and commemoration; the world's best parks accomplish all of the above.
"A well-designed park is more than green space in the midst of a concrete jungle—it makes a city lovable and livable," observes Kristin Conard. "The most beautiful combine meadows, woodlands, ponds, lakes, and streams with museums and other man-made attractions."
"For city dwellers and tourists alike, an urban park becomes a shared backyard. 'It’s a place to meet friends; it’s a place to have celebrations with families if you’re in small apartments, say in New York,' says Setha Low, director of the Public Space Research Group and author of Rethinking Urban Parks: Public Space and Cultural Diversity."
Central Park in New York, along with Vancouver's Stanley Park and Osaka's Namba Parks, are among those selected by Conard and her colleagues at Travel + Leisure as the "World's Most Beautiful City Parks".
FULL STORY: World's Most Beautiful City Parks
Central Park Climate Lab Launches With a Mission to Save Urban Parks
A unique partnership will offer tools and resources for protecting urban parks from the effects of climate change.
Massive New Park Coming to the Inland Empire
A 3.5-mile long greenway will bring trails, recreational facilities, and open space to Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California.
How New York City's Appearance Changed Under de Blasio
The former mayor's administration oversaw several major changes in the city's skyline, streets, and public spaces.
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Housing as a Climate Resilience Strategy
Ensuring that housing, including in informal settlements, is safe and healthy for its residents is a key tool in the fight to build more sustainable and equitable communities in the face of climate migration.
Southeast LA Road Safety Advocates Call for Improved Infrastructure
Streets in southeastern Los Angeles County have a severe lack of protected bike lanes and traffic safety measures, leading to high numbers of fatalities in a community where many residents depend on walking and biking for daily needs.
USDOT: Low-Income Households Bear Highest Transportation Cost Burden
Transportation costs are the second-highest household expenditure behind housing for all income levels.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners