James Corner on Why Public Spaces Need Creativity and Design

James Corner addresses the ability of landscape design to go beyond its traditional purveys, and advocates for stronger use of landscape architecture in sustainable urbanism. By qualifying landscape architecture — especially when it exists in public space — as a practice that has sociopolitical impacts, Corner invites landscape architecture to have an impact beyond the aesthetic. In highlighting his firm’s work in designing to improve air quality and efficient water usage, notably in their plan for Qianhai Water City in Shenzhen, Corner shows the ability for democratic spaces to be expanded through landscape architecture and urban planning.

James Corner, principal of James Corner Field Operations, based out of New York City, is one of the most notable landscape architects of our time. From his designs for Manhattan’s High Line to the redesign of Staten Island’s Fresh Kills Park, Corner’s work has been crucial to shaping the image of many contemporary urban American landscapes. As one of the early adopters of landscape urbanism, Corner is not only known for his design projects but his work in furthering the theoretical literature surrounding landscape urbanism.

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