The 10 Best Parks for Design Lovers
We’d be remiss not to include one of the world’s iconic and most awe-inspiring landmarks, Central Park, situated in the heart of New York City. There are many facets to this green oasis, from the Central Park Zoo to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Sheep Meadow, and Strawberry Fields. Renowned celebrity interior designer Brigitte Romanek, founder of Romanek Design Studio, finds inspiration from the joy she sees the park bring others. “I remember the first time I walked into the park: It was a huge surprise to me that something so beautiful, green, and lush could exist in the middle of this urban environment,” she has told AD PRO. “I make sure to bring greenery into my client’s homes and my own home.”
Paley Park
Location: New York City
“Paley Park on East 53rd Street is one of my favorite parks and an occasional date spot,” says Christine Gachot, principal of Gachot Studios. “In what feels like a hidden escape from the busy city, the park has a 20-foot water wall that is beautifully lit from below at night. It’s this image that has frequented various project mood boards, including that of the Brooklyn Tower kitchens I recently designed. The kitchen palette was inspired by the tones of Paley Park’s water wall. Within the black frame of granite countertops and laminate cabinets, a polished bronze mirror backsplash references the reflectivity of the water, while etched bronze mirror recessed upper cabinets provide a warm glow within the space.”
Jardin des Dunes et des Vents at the Parc de La Villette
Location: Paris
“My architecture studio made the pilgrimage to the Parc de La Villette when I was at the Rhode Island School of Design studying for a Bachelor of Architecture,” says Krista Ninivaggi, principal and interior design leader at Woods Bagot. “We were there mostly to visit and sketch the [Bernard] Tschumi follies. That’s when we discovered a playground that went unsung in our architectural history classes. Twelve of us overgrown ‘kids’ snuck onto the playground and danced around for nearly an hour. The playground is made of all kinds of different mechanisms to move your body around in fun and unusual ways. Honestly, the creations resembled things we have seen in cartoons more than real life. The space is pure delight. I think about that day and that space often.”
