It's not really like any park I've seen before. In a good way. The closest might be Parc Bercy in Paris and this similarly contains a huge diversity of pieces of equipment, structures, spaces, ponds and planting, but with a less formal feel. For all the quantity of stuff, it never feels crowded. It was pretty busy today, but the park just soaks up the people. Its not in the wealthy part of town and it has a kind of rough and worn-in feel to it, but in a comfortable way, like a good pair of shoes. People were enjoying it and its abundantly clear that its a truly inclusive place.
It makes me reflect on our parks in London. Many of them are Victorian, of course and even though they are a wonderful aspect of the city, they carry with them the Victorian repressed ideas about behaviour, which can never quite be overcome. Their formality communicates something about expectations, that might not always be followed, but is never really accommodating. The surprising thing about Park Bissuola is that there is a strong formal structure to it, but it communicates something different: its a framework for life to take over. Paint on me, skateboard on me, do what you like, I can take it. Its a real joy.
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