Gwynns Falls Park–Seminole Section
In 2023, we had the privilege of designing public spaces for many of the communities in which we live and work. We are currently designing five different parks scattered across Baltimore City ranging from small neighborhood playgrounds to regional destination parks. One of these is the Seminole Avenue section of Gwynns Falls Park, the western anchor of the Baltimore’s park network that was designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the early 1900s. Our design here includes a terraced grove for neighborhood gatherings, immersive play spaces for tots and children, a tricycle track, a nature-play rain garden, fitness stations, an outdoor game room and a track for running/walking that connects to the Gwynns Falls network of trails. All of the new attractions are anchored to a central greensward that adapts the Olmstedian pastoral tradition to contemporary times.
In our planning and design work, we’ve hosted many conversations with stakeholders and community groups in order to learn about residents’ needs and desires from them first hand.
What is conspicuously absent from most city parks? Depending on who you ask, you might get a dozen different answers, but when we’ve posed this question at community workshops, we’ve heard a common refrain: There are no spaces/attractions for adolescents. Young people and parents of teens have repeatedly shared with us that teens don’t feel welcome in parks and that they need spaces where they can safely and freely congregate without feeling like they’re trespassing. They also need active play spaces with attractions that provide appropriate levels of challenge and risk-taking.
Well-designed skateparks, pump tracks, gathering spaces, game rooms and climbing structures are all valuable amenities for hosting this age group. As we embark on a new year, we’re excited to continue collaborating with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks on parks that serve all Baltimoreans. We’ll especially be looking to add new features that engage teens and older children in constructive activities.
Learn More
Hochman, Sharee. "How to Build Public Spaces for Teen Girls" 18 Dec 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed 26 Dec 2023.
Millard, Cheryl. “Young People and Placemaking: Engaging Youth to Create Community Places” 1 June 2015. Project for Public Spaces. Accessed 26 Dec 2023.
Rivera, E., Veitch, J., Loh, V.H.Y. et al. “Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents” BMC Public Health 22, 165 (2022). Accessed 26 Dec 2023.