Designed by Desvigne and Dalnoky, french Landscape Architects, it evokes mixed emotions. It really is a pleasant space to experience: it is well finished, well maintained and picturesque. The rigid linear formality that extends to the Millenium village guides users efficiently through the space with an open view of the landscape. Strong geometric lines are maintained throughout the space that are complemented by very precise planting schedules that create sight lines via avenues of trees. It really is a 'heavily designed' space, probably too anally concieved for it to be a friendly space. This could possibly stem from the French greater concern with formality and geometry.
We saw a total of 7 people in the park when we visited, admittedly it was a tuesday, but it was lunch time ish. To witness it being so drastically underused starts to raise questions of its goals. It does concern me that all it will ever be is a physical connection with a few green frills between the Millennium Village and the Dome. It somehow seemed to fit in well with the forced nature of the surrounding peninsula that was created in such a mad rush for the Millennium.
If it had been a beautiful summers day and the huge grassy expanses had been teeming with activity and life I am sure I would have been praising the careful, considerate nature of the design, but as an empty space it just seems like a wasted formality. In years to come it may flourish into the social binding of the Greenwich peninsula?
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