PARKS & PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN
HOW CAN EQUITABLE PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN IMPROVE THE STITCH? Parks and public space design at the project site and surrounding area should be culturally responsive, encourage social connection and activations for an inviting and engaging experience, and soften the hard edges of infrastructure. Parks and public realm features can include green spaces, playgrounds, public art displays, street scaping, street furniture, strategically designed pathways, and more. The placement of these features is critical to the experience people have. For example, the Folk Art Park in the project area is located at a major intersection on a highway overpass, creating visual interest for drivers but not a safe space for social connection. Much of the infrastructure in the project area is responsive to Atlanta’s car culture. While there are green spaces like the Mayor’s #1 Park between Ralph McGill Boulevard and Peachtree Street, there is an opportunity to improve the use of green spaces as a cushion between major roadways and neighborhoods, which can improve locals’ experience with noise and reverberations from vehicles, and pedestrians’ and cyclists’ experience with walkability. Design can also represent the history and cultural diversity of the project area, from public art to spaces for advocacy and activism and informal economies like individual vendors and farmer’s markets. A dynamic approach to design will make The Stitch a local community asset and a regional landmark destination for a diversity of people.
Equity Goal
Goal Measurement
P-1
Highlight the cultural history of those displaced from Fourth Ward, Buttermilk Bottom, and Sweet Auburn throughout the public space.
Identify the design categories their culture can be represented in (e.g. signage, public art, and similar. Identify revenue generating opportunities like an on-site cultural center or similar, where revenue flows to a community fund for reparations.
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P-2
Celebrate the cultural diversity of Atlantans throughout the public space to foster a sense of belonging. Create spaces that support local-scale economies for those who rely on it for their livelihood.
• Identify the design categories culture can be represented in (e.g. signage, public art, and similar.
P-3
Identify and quantify the curbside and park spaces that allow food trucks and vendor loading zones. Identify and quantify the park spaces designated for recurring open markets. Identify and quantify blocks connecting to the park space that can be transformed into pedestrian plazas vendors can utilize.
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P-4
Create multimodal connections to parks and public space, and pathways within
• Identify designated zones for bike and scooter share encouraged by wayfinding to reduce obstructions in pathways.
C-10
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