The Field

In a 2013 survey of ASLA’s Professional Practice Network (PPN) members, we asked about both the best spaces to move through, and also the best places to linger. The answers ranged from busy urban centers with a lot to look at, and serene spots with spectacular views that need more than a quick glance to take in. The following locations were mentioned more than once:

Bryant Park, NYC

Central Park, NYC

Memorial Union Terrace, University of Wisconsin

Personal garden, farm, front yard, or backyard

Yosemite Valley, CA

Here are a few themes that emerged from the responses:

A Pleasant Place to Sit

A place where benches face in to a focal point.

Anywhere with a good bench and a view of people moving about.

“Where there is shade and seating.”

Botanic Gardens

Fort Worth Botanic Garden, TX

The redwood grove at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, CA

Arboretums

Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan

Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University

The Water’s Edge

Colorado River (between Cisco and Moab)

River Seine, Paris

Hudson River, NY

Chicago River

Lake Superior

On the beach. Any beach where the water is clean.

Tide Point Pier, Baltimore, MD

The Jersey Shore

West coast of Michigan during summer at sunset

Scenic Overlooks

The Grand Canyon, AZ

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia

Specifically with activity or people below

A swing in a garden that overlooks a lake, stream, or the mountains

Viewing a beach or a mountain

At the start of 2013, a questionnaire was sent out to members of ASLA’s Professional Practice Networks (PPNs). The theme: favorite spaces. As you can imagine, responses were varied, and included many insightful comments and suggestions. Synopses of the survey results were originally shared in LAND over the course of 2013, and we are now re-posting this information here on The Field. For the latest updates on the results of the annual PPN Survey, see LAND’s PPN News section.