Some sociologists and health professionals will tell you that good health and looks require a playful, participatory life. If that is true, should not we also apply the principle to our landscapes?

If a park is not played, enjoyed and participated in, what happens? History has shown us built environments that do not take in account the local inhabitants way of life, way of use and way of play almost invariably fall into decay. Decay reveals itself in poor upkeep, graffiti and desolation. Without “play” a place becomes “ugly and unhealthy”. Hence, constituency is a must in the design process.

Designers can not be the moral compass of either the design process or the end product. Designers that think they know better than a place’s inhabitants will inevitably incur the criticism of the public. Certainly, we designers have a wealth of knowledge that can mediate between the needs and wants of the public with the demands of sustainable economic programming to create spaces that are both utilized and enjoyed for their beauty.