As cities grow, it has become important to set aside green space where urban dwellers can enjoy trees, flowers, lakes and rivers, and wildlife. Landscape architects work with urban planners to design city parks that integrate nature into an overall urban plan. Some city parks have zoos and planetariums. Some city parks encompass many acres of forested land. Other city parks resemble town plazas with formal gardens and fountains. Listed here are landmark examples of city park design.
Photo: ClipArt.comCentral Park in New York City was officially born on July 21, 1853 when the State legislature authorized the City to buy more than 800 acres. The enormous park was designed by America's most famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.
Photo © Mary Ann Sullivan, Digital Imaging ProjectSpanish architect Antoni Gaudí designed Parque Güell (pronounced par kay gwel) as part of a residential garden community. The entire park is made of stone, ceramic, and natural elements. Today Parque Güell is a public park and a World Heritage monument.
Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland is the largest urban park in Europe and one of the largest urban parks in the world. Phoenix Park encompasses 707 hectares, making the park five times the size of London's Hyde Park and double the size of New York's Central Park.
Rock Creek Park in Washington D.C. extends 12 miles from the Potomac River to the border of Maryland. With hiking trails, a planetarium, an amphitheater, a dock, and riding stables, Rock Creek Park offers a retreat from city life.
Designed by Frederick Olmsted in the 1890s, Forest Park has 538 acres of trees and fields. Forest Park is located in the New York City neighborhood of Queens.
Balboa Park in San Diego, California is sometimes called the "Smithsonian of the West" for the concentration of cultural institutions. Balboa Park encompasses 8 gardens, 15 museums, a theater, and the San Diego Zoo.
Manito Park in Spokane, Washington has a perennial garden, a rose garden, a conservatory with tropical plants, and a 3-acre formal European garden designed and built in 1913.
City Park in New Orleans combines nature with art. A highlight of City Park is the Bestoff Sculpture Garden.
Bryant Park in New York City is modeled after small urban parks in France. Bryant Park is located in mid-town Manhattan.
