Parks are more than the outdoors
Recreation Management is an organization that stays informed on developments, trends and innovations to manage the best experience in recreation, sports and fitness. This article mentions the importance of bringing people to parks and how art in parks can create an impact on people. This article can open the mind to what can exist and inspire designers to be creative and innovative.
This is an excerpt of the various activities people can experience at parks:
“Viewing art in museums or galleries is always an enjoyable experience, but if you want to interact with art, you’ll need to visit a sculpture garden or park. In some art parks, guests are encouraged to touch, climb, perch, sit and play on and around the sculptures. This way, you get to engage all of your senses as you take in beautiful works outdoors” (Edwards, J., 2024).
Instead of bringing people to museums to see art, art can be taken to the people through parks. Art in parks, such as sculptures, encourages people to interact and play as well as engaging in all the senses. Park art can also bring awareness to the people, for example, using the recycled materials in the art to spread messages that speaks about sustainability. Parks can also offer other activities to engage with people, including art activities, yoga, zumba, concerts and galas. Parks don't have to be just for scenery, it can bring people together and create meaningful interactions.
"Some outdoor sculptures have a special purpose behind their creation, as artists wish to share their beliefs and create awareness about important social issues. For instance, sustainability is a priority both in the world of art and architecture, and as a result, some outdoor art parks have integrated eco-friendly features into their design and featured pieces" (Edwards, J., 2024).
"Art parks have become the ideal settings for concerts, performances, exercise classes and art lessons, and a few sculpture parks are now offering these experiences to guests. As a result, they’ve become the place to be for one-of-a-kind activities and fun get-togethers” (Edwards, J., 2024).
This article is important as it discusses that a park is more than just the scenery and getting outside. When it comes to design, imagining how the design allows for play and meaningful interactions is a key takeaway. The design itself can also be used to send messages.
References.
Edwards, J. (2024). inPERSPECTIVE / ART PARKS: Fostering Creativity & Community Engagement. Recreation Management. https://recmanagement.com/articles/154259/inperspective-art-parks-fostering-creativity-community-engagement
Kelly, L. (2024). Community sitting together at a park. https://recmanagement.com/articles/154259/inperspective-art-parks-fostering-creativity-community-engagement
Kirk, A. (2012). Interactive Sculpture at Pierce’s Park. https://www.flickr.com/photos/aukirk/7004782096
