Everything from augmented reality to 3D modeling software has made it easier to design city parks, as long as you have a computer powerful enough to run them. Both proprietary and open-source solutions are on the market that can aid in this often difficult task. Take a look at these three techniques and see if they won’t make the design process a much easier proposition.
1. Drawing Layouts on a Digital Screen
Traditional drafting and parametric design software probably represent the majority of digital tools that park designers turn to when they start a new project. These are the same kinds of programs used to put up buildings, although many of them have special plug-ins that help those who are doing any kind of major landscaping work. You’ll want to look at them before you do anything else since they replicate the entire process of drawing blueprints without the mess.
2. Conduct a Durability Study
Modern computer software can do much more than merely help you draw a particular layout. It’s possible to also see how long certain park features may last once you’ve put them in place. Organizations planning a park need to invest in strong commercial-grade outdoor furniture that’s going to stand up to the elements as well as the abuse that many park users may eventually put it through. It’s important to know precisely when this equipment is going to have to be replaced. Designers can figure out what layouts are optimal for the equipment they plan to invest in by using sophisticated modeling programs that can account for these differences.
Lighting is an equally vital issue that designers have to deal with. Specialized 3D applications will let them figure out where to put their furniture and what kinds of artificial lighting fixtures they’ll need to give it the right look. Garbage cans and irrigation systems are part of most modern parks as well, so it may be useful to figure out where to put these in before ever breaking ground.
3. Figure Out the Lay of the Land
Even the most gorgeous park layouts won’t mean much if they don’t follow the natural contours of the ground around them. While it’s possible to use road graders to flatten an entire park before beginning construction, that kind of work is extremely expensive and difficult for the natural environment. Public sector employees might not even be allowed to consider this an option, since they have to justify all expenditures of taxpayer money before putting in new parks. By collecting information from geographic information systems, these designers will be in a much better position to decide which way to orient their park layouts to take advantage of how the ground currently sits. GIS programs aggregate data from existing terrestrial maps as well as satellite pictures to provide the best possible outlook for potential designers.
If you make the effort in planning your city’s new park, residents will be able to enjoy it more. Regardless of the size of your next project, you’ll want to use computer software to simplify the process of designing and building a city park.