Research has shown that successful public spaces are ones that are responsive to the needs of their users, are democratic in their accessibility, and are meaningful for the larger community and society. While considerable research has been done on needs and conflicts in open space, no one document integrates all this knowledge and makes it available to professionals, students, and researchers.

“The book gives a thorough synthesis of theory and discussion about user needs in the design of urban open space and convinces the reader that advance knowledge of user needs does not diminish good design…the community knows its own needs best and that the designer should play the score written by the community.” -Landscape Architecture, March 2004

Based on archival research; published case studies; site visits; and interviews with researchers, open space designers, managers, and users, this case study looks across several seminal studies to glean significant findings and design implications related to user needs and conflicts. It reviews and identifies those critical user needs that must be considered in the planning, design, and management of outdoor spaces, and synthesizes that knowledge into an accessible and useful document.

This book is part of The Case Studies in Land and Community Design series from the Landscape Architecture Foundation and Island Press. The series meets the need of design and planning professionals for detailed information on innovative projects that provide holistic solutions to complex social, economic, and environmental problems. Individual case studies offer in-depth analysis of important issues or projects and examine key successes and failures. They document effective approaches to land development and preservation, making that information accessible to a broad audience of practitioners, educators, and policymakers.

The case studies share a common graphical design and text format, and are printed in full color with a rich array of illustrations. Praise for the LAF series:

“admirable for the significant issues they tackle: sustainable community development, design of urban open space, and sensitive highway design. Presented in a highly illustrative format, the case studies serve as good educational primers for the public, and they will make good teaching tools.” -Landscape Architecture, March 2004

“All three books are richly illustrated, provide concise treatments of their topics in a straightforward manner and will benefit from a broad audience including policymakers, design and planning professionals, students, and educators.” -Journal of the American Planning Association, Autumn 2004.