When asked about accommodating 'wants' versus 'needs,' relating to designing parks, Bob Hughes, Founding Principal of HGOR, quick-wittedly quoted The Rolling Stones, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

HGOR's interest in park landscapes began in 2005 with Hughes' involvement in the Piedmont Park Conservancy. Here he discovered parks were not being designed around people, justifying a need for a different voice to lead the charge.

Collectively, HGOR has spent a lifetime creating distinctive, functional places for its users. Creating remarkable people-oriented parks was a natural progression. Having planned and designed a broad spectrum of parks, they illustrated development should center around people's needs. In many cases, HGOR dissected master plans previously initiated by others to determine if the best methods for creating authentic places for people had been applied. This process led to identifying essential components necessary for memorable park experiences.

Connectivity: Drawing strategic landscape business plans providing functional yet simple, open greenspaces that unlock GREAT opportunities promoting connectedness. But the key to these plans, or designs, truly offering places that inspire social activity is by integrating components that foster community engagement during the planning process. During the early stages of the planning for Atlanta's largest park, Westside Park, an Advisory Committee made up of neighborhood residents was formed that was a crucial part of the park's development.

Accessibility: Parks represent socially democratic spaces, making it vital to understand the full scope of a space's use to provide features enabling individuals to be free and open in nature. Flexible, accommodating areas for large gatherings, including terraced seating, an elevated stage, and the rerouting of public streets, were incorporated into the design of Atlanta's 3-acre Liberty Plaza to allow for daily enjoyment and legislative events and the occasional citizen-led protest.

Liberty Plaza, Atlanta, GA – The 3-acre public park and plaza transforms the Capitol Grounds into a pedestrian-oriented environment.

Authenticity: Maintaining natural elements of the site's topography, honoring its heritage, and determining key attributes providing significant benefits for users may often be found in such things as dramatic views from sky-high overlooks or by maintaining elements from the original site plans developed a century ago. The innovative design of Grant Park Gateway's green roof, while displaying a modernistic design, the materiality, components, and details reflect historical elements and original park character from the 1903 Olmsted Brothers' master plan.

Grant Park Gateway, Atlanta, GA – Features a 2.5-acre green roof that sits atop a semi-underground parking garage. Rooftop terrace features an open lawn, terraced seating, a restaurant and plaza that has enhanced connectivity between the park and Zoo Atlanta.

Inspiration: Enriching a park visitor’s experience as the guiding factor when choosing inspirational elements. Such things that capture moments of inspiration, while in nature, are typically found in the intangible. In knowing this, it is the role of the landscape architect to discover the secret wonders within a site and then translate them on through design.

A duck pond and open lawn area foster social interaction - grace for which humankind connects with nature.
Sunlight shining through a carefully planned landscape.
A panoramic view of a skyline that sparks endless discussions.

Westside Park, Atlanta, GA – 280-acre park. The overlook situated high above the quarry-turned-reservoir (on right in picture above and below), Atlanta’s major emergency backup water source, showcases breathtaking views of the Atlanta skyline.

Successful park landscape designs involve seeing spaces from different angles to gain new perspectives – possibly offering features like a new entrance to increase park accessibility, thus providing more value to the community. HGOR prides itself on consistently uncovering hidden gems of opportunity and, from them, creating meaningful places for those who use them. Creating parks where people can immerse themselves in the experience keeps them striving to deliver what is needed within each treasured park environment.

Parks & Gathering Spaces: Is Design The Top Priority?