start-with-the-park

More documents

Recommendations

Info

58 Start with the park What is a well-designed green space? Good design is rarely brought about by prescribing rigid quantitative standards, but rather by approaches that emphasise the qualities that make space work. It depends on understanding a wide range of considerations and finding creative resolutions to potential conflicts. Good design needs inspiration, innovation and experimentation. Minimising risk is important but needs to be balanced with the need to create stimulating environments that can be surprising and educational. 19 The design of a successful green space depends on understanding the particular needs it will meet. Why is the space being created? Who will use it and how? In many places there are already too many pointless unused areas of grass or small patches of leftover green space adjacent to buildings, which offer little value but still impose a maintenance burden. Successful green spaces come in a wide range of types and sizes, and have a variety of functions. What works best for a particular locality will depend on local circumstances. But there are a number of qualities that successful parks, squares and green spaces have in common. These are shown in the box and are explored in the following pages. These qualities can provide a useful framework for designing new spaces or improving existing places. They are prompts for thinking, not rules. The qualities overlap and reinforce each other. The qualities have been adapted from By design: urban design in the planning system 20 which, like this publication, focuses on the everyday experience of people in the urban environment. There is one other quality that many successful green spaces have: beauty. Like the other eight, beauty should also be one of the objectives, even though it may be difficult to define. In a place that has the other eight qualities, beauty may well be the natural product of the patterns of nature and human life and the skills of talented designers. The qualities of successful green spaces 1. Sustainability 2. Character and distinctiveness 3. Definition and enclosure 4. Connectivity and accessibility 5. Legibility 6. Adaptability and robustness 7. Inclusiveness 8. Biodiversity
Thinking about design 59 1. Sustainability Good sustainable practice can offer numerous environmental and cost benefits. The potential cooling and thermal insulation properties of green roofs can also have costs benefits for building owners. www.livingroofs.org Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are widely used to reduce the impact of urban runoff on the aquatic environment. A permanent lake forms the basis for flood storage for the Quaggy Flood Alleviation Scheme in Kidbrooke, Greenwich Successful green spaces contribute towards making more attractive towns and cities; provide venues for cultural events and the arts; raise land values; and provide safe routes. Their ecological functions include providing flood protection and sustainable drainage; creating better microclimates; air filtration; shading; and enhancing biodiversity. A sports pitch, a nature reserve or a residential communal garden should play a more complex role than its name suggests: all green spaces should promote a distinct sense of place and provide a range of environmental services, accommodate several uses and provide multiple benefits. Each of the eight qualities can contribute towards more sustainable communities.
Page 1 and 2:
Start with the park Creating sustai
Page 3 and 4:
Start with the Park 1 Why start wit
Page 5 and 6:
Contents 3 Thinking about design ..
Page 7 and 8:
5 The need for quality green spaces
Page 9 and 10: The need for quality green spaces 7
Page 15 and 16: Green spaces in areas undergoing ma
Page 37 and 38: Planning green infrastructure 35
Page 39 and 40: Planning green infrastructure 37 Go
Page 41 and 42: Planning green infrastructure 39 Th
Page 43 and 44: Planning green infrastructure 41 De
Page 45 and 46: Planning green infrastructure 43 Th
Page 53 and 54: Planning green infrastructure 51 Pl
Page 55 and 56: Thinking about design 53
Page 57 and 58: Thinking about design 55 Green spac
Page 59: Thinking about design 57 Design Gre
Page 63 and 64: Thinking about design 61 Design The
Page 65 and 66: Thinking about design 63 2. Charact
Page 67 and 68: Thinking about design 65 Design Gus
Page 69 and 70: Thinking about design 67 4. Connect
Page 71 and 72: Thinking about design 69 Design God
Page 73 and 74: Thinking about design 71 Focal poin
Page 75 and 76: Thinking about design 73 Partners a
Page 77 and 78: Thinking about design 75 6. Adaptab
Page 79 and 80: Thinking about design 77 Design Joh
Page 81 and 82: Thinking about design 79 Diverse us
Page 83 and 84: Thinking about design 81 Design LDA
Page 85 and 86: Thinking about design 83 Thinking a
Page 87 and 88: Delivering better green spaces 85
Page 89 and 90: Delivering better green spaces 87 P
Page 91 and 92: Delivering better green spaces 89 E
Page 95 and 96: Thinking about design 93 Design Bla
Page 97 and 98: Delivering better green spaces 95 D
Page 99 and 100: Appendix 97 Glossary A full range o
Page 101 and 102: Appendix 99 body for protecting and
Page 103 and 104: Appendix 101 derelict land, revital
Page 105 and 106: Appendix 103 Awards BRITISH ASSOCIA
Page 107 and 108: Appendix 105 Image credits p6 Dan B
Page 109 and 110: Appendix 107 References All CABE pu
Page 111:
Commission for Architecture & the B
show all

start-with-the-park

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?