Central Park is an urban park located in Manhattan, New York. The park was established in the year 1857. The park is designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux. Central Park was appointed a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1962. The Park is designed for the future needs and use of the people.
Usually, landscape design is looked at as the art of aesthetically arranging elements in an area of land. The main objectives of landscape design are not to provide pleasant scenery to the city, but to promote the space to occupants for both physical and psychological conditions. In New York, a new approach to designing a public park in an urban fabric was set. There was an impact of English gardens in the 18th century which influenced the design of Central Park.
Olmsted and Vaux wanted to design a public space for American residents as part of promoting Democratic values. In a city like New York, on the verge of being a highly urbanized domain, green spaces were the prime demand. There was a need for such space that would act as a breathing space and community platform.
So the decision of designing a park was taken. Central Park was actually the first municipal park that was thought for people from all classes.
Olmsted turned the swampy piece of left-out land into a green space in an urban city; it was for the cause of improving the city landscape. Central Park helped in increasing the property price in the area around. They had brought land with an undervalued price so that they could gain profit from the enjoyment that Central Park provided to nearby residents. This probably is the reason that attracts funding from the wealthy as they see the essence of remaining Central Park effect to real estate pricing in the market.
The possible outcomes would have made American society more balanced as Central Park could be a prototype for other parks. Secondly, Central Park would also help create a more peaceful and pleasant atmosphere within the society for current as well as the next generations.
Central Park is one of the largest parks that includes informal landscapes, water bodies, and, hard landscape areas, gardens, and buildings. This park became the center of the city surrounded by buildings. Central Park makes inner-city neighborhoods more liveable and demands people experience a sense of community. Greenery in common spaces is more likely to enjoy stronger social ties than those surrounded by barren concrete.
Olmsted merged every landscape element used very well and made the concept one single entity. The scale is very massive, yet the concept of having many themes together was not affected and a very good micro-climate was created within the city. Central Park became the aspiration for New York City and an inspiration for other cities in the world as a place for the neighbourhood.
