Parks

PPS's Parks, Plazas and Squares Program

Our Mission for Parks, Plazas and Squares

Parks, plazas and squares have been a core focus of PPS beginning with our work with William H. (Holly) Whyte and our signature early projects like Rockefeller Center's Channel Gardens and the Bryant Park concept plan. Over the years we have helped many cities create such great public destinations. Today, as more people come to recognize the galvanizing power of parks and squares, we are working with communities to transform more underperforming spaces into great parks and squares than ever before.

How is PPS different?

We start by truly understanding how people will use a place and what activities will draw them there. Design cannot be the starting point for creating a great place. Within any successful park, plaza or square, there should be several dynamic destinations that attract different kinds of people. These destinations should offer many things to do, such as socializing, eating, reading, playing a game, interacting with art, and so on. Creating a great public space requires helping communities articulate a vision for these activities and destinations. From this Placemaking process, PPS creates a concept plan--a program for uses, activities, and destinations--which may lead into a more detailed design phase.

Why Parks, Plazas and Squares?

Parks, plazas and squares share an ability to accommodate many different types of uses and people. They are where you might meet a friend for lunch, or stage an outdoor concert for thousands. While many parks are distinctly not squares, smaller parks often blur the fine line that distinguishes the two, such as:

Campus Martius Park, Detroit, Michigan


The Campus Martius ice rink at night.
PPS helped develop the concept plan for the groundbreaking Campus Martius Park, which debuted in November 2004. It may be called a park, but Campus Martius is really a two-acre central square. It's a place that people think of as their own outdoor living room, where they feel connected to their city and fellow citizens.

Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland, Oregon


Pioneer Courthouse Square.
One of the most successful squares created in recent years, Pioneer Courthouse Square is administered as a park by the City of Portland. Yet there is not a blade of grass (except maybe during the flower show), and few spaces in the U.S. embody more fully the notion of a central square.

How can PPS help you?

We will work with your community to create a concept plan that identifies activities and destinations that will attract people. We will also identify key partners for implementation, funding, creating programs, and managing the space to make the plan sustainable in the long run. Read more about PPS's services for parks, plazas and squares.