Triumph of parks: how socio-economic dynamics change urban green

This paper explores the current paradigm shift regarding the use, function and design of city parks in Amsterdam. Looking back in history, city parks are relatively new phenomena within the urban tissue. Dating from the late eighteenth century, they announced a completely new kind of public realm within cities. During the 1920s a novel type of park came into being in Germany, which put its mark on Dutch parks designed after World War II. Today parks have again changed character. On the basis of the results of Het Grote Groenonderzoek 2013 (the Great Green Survey) of the municipality of Amsterdam, this change can be quantified and qualified. Moreover, specific trends and tendencies can be distinguished. In fact, ‘street photography’ and a design analysis of Amsterdam's current parks have confirmed these results as well. Recent designs for Flevopark and Parool Triangle are examples of how ‘designing with green’ can contribute in an inspiring way to ongoing and future urban transformations. Finally, this paper tries to reflect on the transformation from an industrial-service economy towards a knowledge-based economy, where the quality of green public space in the urban fabric is a decisive location factor for knowledge workers and businesses.