Next City surveys the most ambitious examples of park design from a year of ambitious projects.
Rachel Dovey takes a look back at what was a big year for parks in 2015 by presenting a list of the "most ambitious public spaces of 2015." The list surveys locations as far apart on geographic and cultural spectrums as Los Angeles, Texas, and Beirut. Each of the parks listed are supplemented with explainer text and links to access more information:
- The Yanaguana Garden, San Antonio
- 50 Parks Initiative, Los Angeles
- First Ward Park, Charlotte
- Horsh Beirut, Beirut
- Bayou Greenways, Houston
- Magical Bridge Playground, Palo Alto
- Luther Ely Smith Square, St. Louis
Read the full story: City Park Design Is Getting More Ambitious
First Look: Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan Adopted in L.A.
The Los Angeles City Council approved environmental review documents for the long-awaited Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan, clearing the way to remake a defunct reservoir into active green and park space.
Trends in Community Park Landscape Design and Planning
Urban park planning and design needs to deliver a lot of community benefit from a small amount of space. The lessons that emerge
Programming Over Serenity Favored in 21st Century Park Design
The new urban public realm in the United States is highly programmed—some of that design approach reflects the trends of culture and some reflects a history of violence and bad for PR for parks at the end of the 20th century.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
California city breaks ground on transit connector
The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.
After public outcry, Massachusetts city releases housing development tracker
Cambridge’s tracker currently shows 250 housing projects in various stages of development.
40 years after approval, Chicago breaks ground on new park
The park honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the city’s first permanent non-native settler.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority