But ever notice how some parks seem like a DIY project gone wrong? I recently walked through one in my neighborhood that had a swing set three feet from a busy road. It made me wonder if the designer thought, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ We really need to prioritize thoughtful design in our communities, not just fun stuff. What are your favorite/most ridiculous examples of this?
Totally get it — ‘What could happen?’ is a recipe for disaster. I experienced a similar situation at a nearby park where the dog area is right next to the playground. It’s like they didn’t even consider safety and usage patterns.
And that swing set situation is wild! I saw a park design where the picnic area was placed right under the flight path of a helipad. We really do need to rethink some of these designs to ensure safety and practicality — what’s the city thinking? @designfailures has some good examples too.