Best of Both Worlds: Art & Ecology to Elevate Public Space Landscapes
Sustainable Landscaping
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50m
Public space landscapes are the primary interface between the public and our industry. As such, these special landscapes need not be relegated to a utilitarian design with a limited plant palette. Beyond the public-facing nature of these landscapes, public space landscapes are more than decoration for our cities. They are critical parts of our urban and municipal infrastructures and should be places of beauty, interest, excitement, environmental service, and ecological vibrancy. How these spaces are designed, the plants we select to install, and how we maintain these spaces should reflect this important role. Using historical and ongoing landscape re-development work at Millennium Park (Chicago, Illinois) as viewing lens, we will explore how otherwise plain and practical public landscapes can be transformed into spaces that are joyful, beautiful, and ecologically pertinent. Developing consensus among stakeholders, the design and construction processes, and investing in ongoing maintenance will also be important topics in our exploration of elevating public space landscapes.
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