A nod to enjoyable meals en plain air, the pal•at•a•ble proposal references the act of enjoying a picnic in the park, creating a variety of opportunities for social engagement.  The picnic ranges from small, intimate, and romantic affairs to large-scale, amusing group events.  Much like the potluck, picnics have long retained a tradition in which all participants contribute to the meal.  Food itself is linked to a certain social sustainability - the sharing of new ideas and culture often occurs over coffee, at the bar, or over a home-cooked meal.    

And while the picnic is an iconic way to enjoy a communal meal, one that evokes recognizable imagery of checkered blankets and woven baskets, the basis of this gathering is dependent on a connection with a natural landscape. This project references the leisurely and casual outdoor meal to create a dynamic and public natural environment, an impromptu picnic in the park in an unexpected area.

Stacked, recycled palettes create a pixelated, temporary landscape with a series of seating structures and live planting that allow for interaction with other site users.  The installation creates various opportunities to lounge on a grassy area, relax on a bench surrounded by flowers, or sit at a large communal table.  The main emphasis on the project is the creation of a natural environment out of reused and upcycled materials to create a tactile and soft landscape, including a soft-scaped hillside, a communal picnic table with bench seating, and a picnic "blanket," constructed of planted pallets that allow the visitor to engage with nature as they enjoy their picnic.

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proposal | design competition

​recognition | finalist