[This book passes] on at least the basics of the special and unique considerations that undergird excellence of design in Yosemite -- from foreword.

Parks and recreation systems have evolved in remarkable ways over the past two decades. No longer just playgrounds and ballfields, parks and open spaces have become recognized as essential green infrastructure with the potential to contribute to community resiliency and sustainability. To capitalize on this potential, the parks and recreation system planning process must evolve as well. In Parks and Recreation System Planning, David Barth provides a new, step-by-step approach to creating parks systems that generate greater economic, social, and environmental benefits. Barth first advocates that parks and recreation systems should no longer be regarded as isolated facilities, but as elements of an integrated public realm. Each space should be designed to generate multiple community benefits. Next, he presents a new approach for parks and recreation planning that is integrated into community-wide issues. Chapters outline each step—evaluating existing systems, implementing a carefully crafted plan, and more—necessary for creating a successful, adaptable system. Throughout the book, he describes initiatives that are creating more resilient, sustainable, and engaging parks and recreation facilities, drawing from his experience consulting in more than 100 communities across the U.S. Parks and Recreation System Planning meets the critical need to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive approach for planning parks and recreation systems across the country. This is essential reading for every parks and recreation professional, design professional, and public official who wants their community to thrive.

people places Second Edition Design Guidelines for Urban Open Space edited by Clare Cooper Marcus and Carolyn Francis A resurgence in the use of public space continues throughout North America and many other parts of the world. Neighborhoods have become more outspoken in their demands for appropriate park designs; corporations have witnessed the value of providing outdoor spaces for employee lunch-hour use; the rising demand for child care has prompted increased awareness of the importance of developmentally appropriate play and learning environments; and increased attention is being focused on the specific outdoor space needs for the elderly, college students, and hospital patients and staff. Now available in an updated, expanded second edition, People Places is a fully illustrated, award-winning book that offers research-based guidelines and recommendations for creating more usable and enjoyable public open spaces of all kinds. People Places analyzes and summarizes existing research on how urban open spaces are actually used, offering design professionals and students alike an easily understood, easily applied guide to creating people-friendly places. Seven types of urban open space are discussed: urban plazas, neighborhood parks, miniparks and vest-pocket parks, campus outdoor spaces, outdoor spaces in housing for the elderly, child-care outdoor spaces, and hospital outdoor spaces. People Places contains a chapter-by-chapter review of the literature, illustrative case studies, and design guidelines specific to each type of space. People Places has a number of features that can be easily incorporated into the design process: * Clear, readable translations of existing research on people's use of outdoor spaces. * Performance-based design recommendations that specify key relationships between design and use. * Design review checklists that help readers plan and critique designs. * A clearly organized, concise format equally useful to the design practitioner and the design student. The newly revised edition of People Places also includes: * Discussion of accessibility issues, including ADA regulations and the concept of universal design; and of design responses aimed at crime reduction. * Procedures for conducting post-occupancy evaluations of designed outdoor spaces. * Updated and new information on each type of outdoor space, with special attention to hospitals, child care facilities, and campus outdoor spaces where specific advances have occurred since 1990. * A completely new color-photo section and 50 new black and white illustrations. Winner of the Merit Award in Communication from the American Society of Landscape Architects, People Places is an essential working tool for landscape architects and architects, city planners, urban designers, neighborhood groups, and anyone else concerned with the quality of urban open space.

The Fourth Edition of Anatomy of a Park features an expanded view of the practice, the business, and the administration of park design, with information gathered from interviews with professionals from both the United States and abroad. Highlights include:
• Three-dimensional site plans and topographic maps with helpful hints for interpretation of the planning and construction documents shared by designers and clients.
• Expanded coverage of the broad issues of ecology-oriented “green design” and the philosophy of sustainable practice.
• The economics of park design: getting more park for your money and getting more money for your park.
• A richly illustrated discussion on the right and wrong ways to design seating arrangements
• The latest developments in the linkage of pervious pavement with storm-water management, along with issues of survival for plants in dense urban environments.
• Comprehensive guidelines for the client seeking a consulting designer and the designer seeking a client, from the earliest initiation to the finished product.
• Increased examples and discussion of the relationships and purposes of the elements of park design, as well as experts’ opinions of what makes a good park versus a great park.
• Essential coverage of ways to maximize a park budget, including the grant application process, sponsorship, partnerships, and volunteerism.

Integrating the diverse aspects of park design and planning in one source, this guide presents the tools needed to design successful parks and playgrounds, and maintain them at peak efficiency. Phillips gives landscape architects, planners, and park managers advice on how to modify plans to fit existing site conditions, market "green space" to the public, and solve vandalism problems. 300 illustrations.