Case Description
Studio Precht proposed a radical green space design for a vacant plot in Wien, responding to the social distancing measures that were in place at the time. Inspired by French baroque gardens and Japanese geometrical shapes, the garden would allow people to walk safely along circular routes in a 90-centimetre-wide path. In order to assure social distancing, there would be gateways on the entrances and exits to signal that the route is occupied. The distance between entrance and exit would be around 600 meter. After the pandemic, the park would be used by individuals to connect with nature and escape the noise and bustle of the city. As the designer said, “I lived in many cities, but I think I have never been alone in public. I think that’s a rare quality”.
Relation to Resilience
The Parc de la Distance makes it possible for urban residents to have “a brief time of solitude, temporary seclusion from the public, a moment to think, to meditate or just to walk alone through nature”. Such opportunities often lack in cities, and provide a welcome contrast to the more dynamic and crowded public spaces that are more common.