- Broad Spectrum
Redstone Park will bring one of the first recreational water features to Highlands Ranch. A high point in the park-- where a fishing pond and gazebo are located-- present picturesque views of the Front Range Peaks for residents and visitors. The low-maintenance pond is pumped with air compressors and stocked with fish that will eat unwanted aquatic plants and mosquito larvae. Colorful play structures, an amphitheater and community-oriented gazebos pepper the shores of the pond. 
Landscape Architects designed the monument entry sign-- which will be crafted of stone to pay tribute to the red sandstone formations of the nearby foothills-- at Redstone Park, and will direct visitors to playgrounds and guest services. Curvilinear patterns of stained concrete, pea gravel, and redstone veneer finishes provide color and texture to the park, connecting ballfields, plazas and playground/picnic areas. 
Upon completion, the Redstone Park playground equipment layout will feature a wooden castle surrounded by a "moat," a climbing/play area of sand and boulders, and an intriguing labyrinth, as well as swings, a seesaw and other play equipment. Wood chip mulching safety surfacing will carpet the recreation spaces, and a variety of site amenities (including bicycle racks, picnic benches, shelters and drinking fountains) will be sprinkled throughout the entire site.
The company has had 14-year olds bring elaborate foamcore models to skatepark workshops. Neighbors who initially opposed a park design later removed their fence for a better view of the finished product. And if the company was to design a group campground, they would surely welcome the participation of a Scouting troop.
Recently, the firm designed Redstone Park, a new 53-acre community park for Highlands Ranch, a 22,000-acre community in Douglas County, Colorado. The company completely inverted the usual process of park design, which goes something like this: a public agency hires a Landscape Architect, who develops a design. The agency and the Landscape Architect then present the final design for public comment.
Here, before even attempting to produce a schematic design, the team spent an entire year master-planning Redstone Park. Aided by Kezziah-Watkins, a Colorado Springs firm that conducts public processes, the company began by holding an informal meeting. About 100 people showed up to list concerns. The second meeting was a work session. Approximately 75 people broke into small groups. They took paper cut-outs of features like lakes and ballfields and moved them around to design their own park. Then, each smaller group presented their scheme to the entire group. The "Landscape Architect for a day" proved great fun for everyone.
Design Concepts had to also address concerns held by other stakeholders, including the client, Highlands Ranch Metropolitan districts, which manages the community's water, roads, parks and open space. Sound like a recipe for design by committee? It wasn't. The public process actually freed the team to be more creative. The Landscape Architects received approval to express the region's natural and cultural features. For example, the park takes its name from the red sandstone formations of the nearby foothills; the sandstone was used for paving, planters, and benches in the ballfield area.
With encouragement from Tom Hoby, director of parks and open space for the Metro Districts, the team designed such features as peaked ballfield backstops that mimic the Rocky Mountain foothills visible from the park. The curved accent paving in the ballfields and playground areas suggests a river running through a canyon. The surface is to be scored and stained green-blue to represent flowing water.
The designers were also able to bring water to a parched area of the High Plains. Located on one of the park's highest points is a fishing pond and gazebo. The low-maintenance pond was designed by pond specialists Aqua Sierra, Inc. of Morrison, Colorado. Air compressors pumping fresh oxygen into the pond will prevent the growth of algae. The pond will be stocked with fish that eat unwanted aquatic plants and mosquito larvae.
The public-design process allowed the team to introduce features people said they wanted, instead of specifying expensive playground equipment that quite often goes unused. The playground includes a wooden castle surrounded by a "moat," a climbing and play area of sand and boulders, and a labyrinth, as well as the traditional swings and seesaws.
Next year, the first phase of Redstone Park will open. It will include paved trails, lighted softball fields, tennis courts, multi-purpose greens, a playground, and the first of three parking lots. When the entire $4.5 million project is dedicated in the year 2000, the public will enjoy a gazebo, skate park, and various service buildings designed in a vernacular style by Slater-Paull & Associates, an architecture firm in Denver and a partner in the design process.
Design by consensus does not mean that designers and planners should concede their role to the public participants. People may have valid ideas and genuine concerns; however, that obviously does not make them Landscape Architects. The process is not about blankly giving the public "everything they think they want." It involves including a broad spectrum of people in a search to design a park that is economical to build, useful to the public, and that complements the landscape of its region. lasn