Parks, Outdoor Play & Outdoor Recreation

Play is one of the primary mechanisms through which humans develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically. It's our first connection to others through environment and interactions, from simple games of peek-a- boo and hide-and-seek, to the rush of the big slide for the first time, experiencing the excitement of scoring a winning point, or completing a personal record in a race. Outdoor spaces like parks provide low-risk environments for youth to experience calculated opportunities towards cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, while building a sense of self and identity. These spaces become part of core memories, shaping how people navigate many life experiences, often returning to natural environments throughout a lifetime to recenter, celebrate, gather, and find community. Many parks, open spaces, and trails are now created as part of an urban network, so creating that call back to the natural environment while providing both passive and active recreation spaces creates a unique and complex design dilemma in cities and towns across the world. 

This PPN focuses on these heavily used spaces as critical public infrastructure, how long-term maintenance and management shapes the design long before construction, and the realities that parks and public facilities face with funding, operations and care in perpetuity. Looking at the design and construction from a macro perspective--from resource planning and infrastructure to maintenance and multi-generational use--is critical to the success of parks and recreation. 

Play is not optional. It is fundamental to human development and a solution to a fast-paced modern society where we are at a crossroads of bringing social skills, creativity, emotional regulation and lower stress and anxiety as a prescription for a healthier future.