Assessment of Floating Parks Based on Coastal Park Design Criteria

The aim of this study is to examine the spatial and design dimensions of floating parks and to comparatively evaluate them with the design criteria of traditional coastal parks. Floating parks represent an innovative typology of urban open spaces that transfer public, ecological, and recreational functions onto the water surface, offering an alternative to the land-based understanding of open space. These hybrid structures establish a dynamic interface between land and water ecosystems, supporting ecological diversity, improving the urban microclimate, and enhancing adaptive capacity against rising water levels caused by climate change. The study analyzes eight case studies: Little Island Park (New York, USA), Elizabeth Quay (Perth, Australia), Race Street Pier (Philadelphia, USA), Hudson River Park Pier 25 (New York, USA), Merchant Square Floating Pocket Park (London, UK), Wild Mile Eco Park (Chicago, USA) and Pier C Park (New Jersey, USA). These examples are evaluated based on internationally recognized frameworks and institutions, including the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG), Project for Public Spaces (PPS), American Planning Association (APA), American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Gehl Architects, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Waterfront Toronto, PK3 Landskabsarkitekter & Tredje Natur, and Bruttomesso. The findings reveal that floating parks not only provide innovative recreational opportunities along urban waterfronts but also constitute a strategic design model for the development of sustainable coastal spaces. They integrate ecological resilience, adaptive infrastructure systems, and public accessibility into a holistic urban landscape framework.