RDG in the Media: Take Shelter
RDG's Scott Crawford speaks with Recreation Management Magazine on how shelters and play structures can enhance parks and open spaces.
Shelters and shade structures play a major role and serve many purposes in parks, campuses, streetscapes and locations where sports and other gatherings occur. And while they fulfill various needs, they can also make attractive and aesthetically pleasing additions to public spaces by mixing form and function. Recreation Management Magazine spoke to five individuals involved in designing, engineering and manufacturing these spaces, including RDG Landscape Architect and Principal Scott Crawford, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, to discuss how park systems are developed.
Crawford described how RDG masterplans entire park systems, plans specific parks and designs all elements within parks, including shelters and shade structures, citing them as integral elements. The location, size, amenities and architectural character of these structures can vary dramatically depending on the park's context and adjacent development.
“Parks are outdoor spaces that connect humans to nature,” said Crawford. “All elements of the built environment within parks are initially designed and constructed to integrate well with nature; in other words, vertically constructed elements in parks should seek to be harmonious with the natural environment of the park.”