Remember when I talked about this path in the park and tried to explain how it was poor design?
Well apparently it is a proper landscape design concept called Desire Lines. Who would have thought it, I actually knew what I was talking about even though I didn't actually know what it was I was talking about, exactly.
If you find this interesting (and I know most of you don't give a flying toss), Pixelcharmer links to Peter Merholz who has some fascinating pictures of this from Berkeley's campus. I'm sure you will be all as enthralled as I was. Am.
1. Matthew
So any sign yet of local authorities lashing up barriers on Eel Brook Common to stop people crossing the grass digressing from the original vision?
2. zed
Q said something like “of course that’s a landscape design concept called Desire Lines - i know all about it. that bit there is to let people take the short cut rather than walk over and ruin the vegetation.”
Right. he would know.
he’s a bloody conservationist.
3. Destructor
I’ve got a desire line right now.
4. T.
I find myself being strangely fascinated by this subject.
I think that’s better than being strangely aroused by the paths people walk.
5. nrgza
Hi Ade :)
This happened at Rhodes too, and there was an art student who actually made the phenomenon the subject of a range of pieces, to be set up in 3 locations of such ‘organic paths’ (that’s art student speak right there)
A year later, Rhodes started putting prickly bramble tumbleweed looking scrolls of vegetation up, blocking the way into some of the paths, thereby forcing students to use the concrete paths. Fuddy duddies.