A celebration of some of the finest achievements of landscape architecture in the public realm. It is a comparative study of twenty significant public parks in fourteen major cities across Western Europe and North America. As a collection they give a clear picture of why parks have been created, how they have been designed, how they are managed, and what plans are being made for them at the beginning of the twenty-first century. This volume is based on unique research including extensive site visits and interviews with the managing organisations, and the text is amplified by clear plans and professional photographs for each park. This book reflects a belief that well-planned, well-designed and well-managed parks remain invaluable components of liveable and hospitable cities.
CONTENTS Introduction. Paley Park, New York. Village of Yorkville Park. Toronto. Freeway Park, Seattle. Bryant Park, New York. Parc de Bercy, Paris. Parc Andre-Citroen, Paris. Parc des Butte-Chaumont. Parc de la Villette. Parque Maria Luisa, Seville. Birkenhead Park; Regent's Park, London. Grant Park, Chicago. Stadtpark, Hamburg. Landschaftspark, Duisburg-Nord. Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York. Tiergarten, Berlin. Central Park, New York. Stanley Park, Vancouver; Amsterdamse Bos. Minneapolis Park System. Reflections. Endnotes. Backword.
Alan Tate is Head of the Department of Landscape at the University of Manitoba, Canada and a former President of the Landscape Institute of the United Kingdom.