Waveland Press - Anatomy of a Park - Essentials of Recreation Area Planning and Design, Fourth Edition, by Donald J. Molnar

The Fourth Edition of Anatomy of a Park features an expanded view of the practice, the business, and the administration of park design, with information gathered from interviews with professionals from both the United States and abroad. Highlights include:
• Three-dimensional site plans and topographic maps with helpful hints for interpretation of the planning and construction documents shared by designers and clients.
• Expanded coverage of the broad issues of ecology-oriented “green design” and the philosophy of sustainable practice.
• The economics of park design: getting more park for your money and getting more money for your park.
• A richly illustrated discussion on the right and wrong ways to design seating arrangements
• The latest developments in the linkage of pervious pavement with storm-water management, along with issues of survival for plants in dense urban environments.
• Comprehensive guidelines for the client seeking a consulting designer and the designer seeking a client, from the earliest initiation to the finished product.
• Increased examples and discussion of the relationships and purposes of the elements of park design, as well as experts’ opinions of what makes a good park versus a great park.
• Essential coverage of ways to maximize a park budget, including the grant application process, sponsorship, partnerships, and volunteerism.

“This is a great read. The graphic examples add interest and visually explain the intricacies of the writing. The layered steps to create master plans will be a great resource for students.” — Kathryn Nelson, Texas Tech University

“Still the clearest and most readable text on the subject for undergraduates.” — Wayne Williams, Appalachian State University

“I have used Anatomy of a Park as my foundation textbook for my course in Site Planning and Design for Parks for 30 years. I have found the planning principles to be very useful, and I utilize the planning/design process outlined in the text for my students’ master plan projects. The appendices contain detailed information on standards for parks, sports facilities, playgrounds, and play courts that is invaluable to the students. The information about grants and partnerships in Chapter 9 was a great addition to the third edition. I can’t wait to see the fourth edition!”—Theresa Herrick, Arkansas Tech University

“I find the text to be pragmatic and useful. Students seem to like the ‘first-person-type’ writing style and appreciate the practical experience of the author.”—Jim Drummond, Elon University

“This book is wonderful! It creates an awareness of the underlying form and design of recreation areas.”—Matthew Ebbott, Western State Colorado University

“Over the years I have utilized Anatomy of a Park as a client gift to help educate my clients on park design. It has been a wonderful tool to assist a wide variety of professionals such as park directors, facility managers, and city and campus planners on the basic principles of design for public and park spaces.”—Deb Schmucker (ASLA, LEED), President, Cornerstone PDS

1. Context: Past and Present
2. The Umbrella Considerations
3. The Aesthetic Considerations
4. The Functional Considerations
5. Plan Interpretation
6. Site Design Process
7. Plan Evaluation
8. Establishing the Client-Consultant Relationship
9. Good Park, Great Park
10. The Bottom Line
Appendix 1: Selected Park and Activity Size and Facility Standards
Appendix 2: Selected Game Area Size Standards
Appendix 3: Field and Court Games
Appendix 4: Responses of Selected Trees to Recreational Use
Appendix 5: Suitability of Soils for Recreational Use
Appendix 6: Agencies and Organizations Offering Technical Assistance