Around the world, Pocket Parks are taking root in many forms, functions and collaborations. This guide offers a perspective on these small but powerful spaces showcasing how cities are reshaping streets, courtyards and forgotten corners into high-impact green spaces such as gardens, rest stops, small-scale forests, playgrounds and so much more. The transformation of these spaces are not just limited to their small footprints. When done thoughtfully, Pocket Parks can be scaled into a network of green infrastructure across cities that strengthen climate response, build resilience and improve wellbeing.
“The next big thing is a lot of small things.”
Our guide draws from insights from city leaders, urban practitioners and community groups across 16+ cities as well as our combined experience at the Resilient Cities Network, Arup and Deltares. In these pages, we define and contextualise Pocket Parks, dive into their link to wider nature-based solutions and urban resilience strategies and highlight the elements that make them work in practice.
You will also find practical entry points to help you get started. Look out for both quantitative and qualitative impacts that can be unlocked through single interventions or a network of them.
Throughout this guide, case studies bring these approaches to life, showcasing diverse ways cities and communities are creating and sustaining Pocket Parks.
We hope you enjoy this read and get inspired by ideas you can carry into your own context.
This guide was developed with the contributions of Z Zurich Foundation, the Commit2Green Project co-funded by the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (Grant Agreement 101139598). With their support, our cities continue building projects that improve people’s lives, restore nature and develop the tools and partnerships that help them make clear decisions under pressure.