Place Léon Aucoc, Bordeaux France

In class today we discussed Place Léon Aucoc in Bordeaux, France. It was met with some distaste by some classmates, and I can understand this perspective. It is a lauded work of landscape architecture - which is the most confusing part of it for most people. Why is this large square of sand and some trees so highly revered?

In my opinion, I think the park is a brilliantly simple and cheap solution to giving the public some open space in an urban setting. It is essentially a blank slate, and can have an infinite number of functions. There can be kids playing with toy trucks there in the morning, teens playing soccer in the afternoon, and a neighborhood gathering in the evening. It is a canvas for the neighborhood to interact on. You can do anything there. 

Studying abroad in Genoa I would have loved a space like this near the Villa (virtually impossible in Genoa given the topography) to kick the soccer ball, throw the football, or toss the frisbee. We had the long and narrow garden, but often times poorly-aimed frisbees or soccer balls would find their way onto the street or onto neighboring buildings. Having a large, flat space would have been fantastic. I prefer these parks over, for example, Allan Park in Charleston, SC. This park is beautiful, however it is more of a garden than a park. You can't really gather here, it is more of a place to observe the plants and fountain. You would probably get weird looks for trying to throw a football around that fountain, too.

 Place Léon Aucoc in Bordeaux, France.

Allan Park in Charleston, SC.