PARKS

Parks have been a part of our lives for the longest of time and I believe they can be seen as one of the
earliest forms of expression of art. They are essentially natural, semi-natural or planted spaces that are
set aside for the purpose of enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural
habitats. From children to young adults and even to the elderly, parks have proven to be very
appealing architectural spaces. Serving as playgrounds for children, recreational spaces or even a
place to escape to, to get away from the noise and find peace and serenity among the trees, besides the
intention behind their respective designs, parks can be used for almost any purpose. I believe parks
and the way they are designed tell a great deal about the people they are built for, the ambience of the
space, and the time period they are built in. It is as if each and every park tells a story- a story about
its origin and its audience. These parks tell us the ancient stories of these people, their tastes,
necessities in respect to the time period they are built in and help us in not only understanding the
people but also differentiating between these various parks and gardens and the way they are
designed.
It’s interesting to observe how parks have evolved with time, taking in consideration the example of
the French parks and gardens, specifically in the fourteenth century, “In the French garden the
gloriette was a sort of arbour, or trellis-like summer-house, garnished with vines and often perched
upon a natural or artificial eminence. Other fast developing details of the French garden were tree-
bordered alleys and the planting of more or less regularly set-out beds of flowering plants.” Beds of
flowering plants are significant fragments of modern-day parks as well, it’s important to note that the
essential element of nature, greenery and life is still very much alive and prominent in the parks and
gardens built recently as well. In addition to these plants and trees, modern day parks include outdoor
gyms, open fields and space for several physical activities and sports such as tennis, cricket, football,
and even swings and slides for the children to play.
Parks providing open space has proven to be highly beneficial for health in more ways than one as
these spaces are ideal for free or low-cost physical activities, for all ages and fitness levels. I also
think of them as beautiful places to be in to get away from the chaos of the outside world and find an
opportunity to connect with oneself.