A call for urban landscape projects proposals has been launched in New York to create a new natural design on Park Avenue (also known as Fourth Avenue). This project by GAD and Chelsea Atelier is inspired by savannah’s environmental and topographical distinctive features.

Park Avenue will be covered with green, recreating the grassland ecosystem that was typical of North America before it was urbanized by the first Europeans.

The project aims to let nature reassert itself against the dominating urban concrete and to improve people’s health and well-being in the surrounding buildings.

According to the architects, this project is a perfect aesthetical mix of natural forms fitting well in the urban environment. It will create open spaces to stimulate simple activities like walking, eating, resting and relaxing.

The main distinctive feature of this natural environment is a bamboo “pine-shaped forest canopy”. It looks like a fractal dimension on the urban horizon representing the savannah and it is supposed to reduce the stress of those who walk inside.

The canopy will be built together with an important fauna and flora restoration work. Since reproducing a real forest in Park Avenue was obviously not possible, designers opted for a hybrid canopy with a bamboo structure. This choice will allow them to create an aesthetical public space and at the same time to provide a good natural habitat for birds and insects.

The complexity of the structure will create fascinating play of light and shadow meant to attract visitors during the day and to provide bright lighting at night. The design team think that modern cities should recreate internal green natural areas in addition to traditional public parks, in order to restore their previous ecosystems.