This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024
I hate hiking. Camping, more so. But there is no doubt that spending some time in nature helps one’s mental, emotional and physical as well as spiritual well-being. One way urbanites can achieve this is through urban parks. These oases of green in the concrete jungle provide respite from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives and remind us to take time to stop, chill and smell the flowers.
Armenian Park, Penang, Malaysia
Situated at the intersection of Lebuh Acheh and Lebuh Armenian, the park covers about 28,000 sq ft. This open space emerged in the aftermath of a fire that burnt down several buildings decades ago and was later gazetted as a park. Poor maintenance made the place unwelcoming to the community and it became the site of a flea market. Through collaborative efforts involving the Penang government, George Town World Heritage Incorporated and Think City, the flea market was relocated, paving the way for work to reinvent and restore the park. Today, this all-encompassing park, nestled within the Unesco Heritage Zone, has not only rejuvenated the community but also positively impacted the local economy.
Benjakitti Forest Park, Bangkok, Thailand
Benjakitti Park is located in the Khlong Toei District of central Bangkok, next to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The park covers about 180 acres and was opened to the public in 1992. Recently, China-based multi-disciplinary landscape and architectural design company Turenscape created public spaces by reworking about 98 acres where a tobacco company had once operated. They cut, filled and recycled debris to create islets in the wetland area and built boardwalks and even skywalks for the public to interact with nature. Existing buildings such as former warehouses were converted into a sports centre and museum.
High Line, New York, the US
This public park is built on a 2.4km-long elevated freight train rail structure on Manhattan’s West Side and covers an area of 7.07 acres. The station stopped operations in 1980 and was later earmarked for demolition. However, a non-profit organisation, Friends of the High Line, founded in 1999, prevented that from happening and today manages the park. The conversion was done in stages, with groundbreaking for the first section in 2006, and was opened to the public in 2009. Subsequent sections were done, and the whole High Line was open to the public by 2019. The park has over 500 species of plants across 16 garden zones. Various community activities are organised along with exhibitions and performances. Between 2009 and 2022, over 70 million visitors visited the High Line.
Hong Kong Park, Hong Kong, China
The park covers an area of just over 20 acres and was officially opened in 1991. There used to be a garrison named Victoria Barracks situated on the land and in 1979, the government decided to section off a part of the land for a park. At the centre of the park are an artificial lake and a waterfall. There are also two facilities called the Forsgate Conservatory and the Aviary. The former provides visitors with a climate-controlled environment to see various plant life and the latter is a covered outdoor aviary with a raised walkway for visitors to walk through the tree canopy to watch birds and plants from an elevated position. The park management offers various activities for visitors such as guided tours and bird watching.
Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, Texas, the US
Covering 5.2 acres, this park is built over a recessed freeway. A deck was constructed to cover the recessed portion. Construction started in 2009 and the park was opened in 2012. It was built through a public-private partnership, with the City of Dallas owning the land and permanent fixtures while the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation manages the programming, operations and park maintenance as well as raises the estimated US$5.2 million (RM24 million) annual operating budget. The design of the park is by award-winning landscape architect Jim Burnett, principal of The Office of James Burnett. He created a sense of discovery as you enter different “rooms” in the park. There are daily free activities catering to all ages, from yoga to lecture series to outdoor concerts and film screenings.
Red Ribbon Park, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, China
Another park that has been given the Turenscape treatment is this one, situated by the Tanghe River in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. Covering 50 acres, the site boasts favourable ecological conditions such as lush native plant species and was already being used by the public for fishing or exercise. However, certain areas were marred by improper waste disposal, overgrown vegetation that hindered accessibility and an overall unsafe environment. These areas were rehabilitated to create welcoming community spaces, which feature a 500m “red ribbon” fixture that provides seating, picnic spots and hubs for meaningful interaction.
Salesforce Transit Park, San Francisco, the US
Situated atop the Salesforce Transit Center, a modern regional transport hub, the park stretches 425m on a 5.4-acre roof. It has an outdoor amphitheatre, gardens, open green areas and a restaurant, among other facilities. This public park offers activities for all ages such as yoga classes, crafts and games. Dance parties and concerts are also held here. The transit centre was opened in 2018 and designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, while the park was designed by PWP Landscape Architecture and is managed by Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. Apart from being a great place to unwind, the park also plays a part in absorbing carbon dioxide from bus exhaust fumes, absorbing and filtering stormwater and providing a habitat for wildlife.
TRX City Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opened to the public on Nov 29, 2023, TRX City Park covers 10 acres atop The Exchange TRX mall and features over 150,000 plantings and close to 150 native plant species. There are children's play areas, water features, shaded enclaves, alfresco dining and space for outdoor movie nights, festivals, concerts and much more. There are also tranquil areas for people to just sit and enjoy nature. With the seamless connection between the park and mall, visitors can enjoy nature and retail therapy all in one convenient location. The park is part of The Exchange TRX integrated development, which has retail, residential, hotel and office components, and is developed jointly by TRX City Sdn Bhd and Lendlease Malaysia.
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