Wooden floors are know for their warm appearance, rich texture, and natural tones that vary according to the origin of the planks, changing with the weather and the passage of time. Outdoors, wooden surfaces are widely used for terraces and living areas, taking advantage of these inviting qualities to bring people together on warm and welcoming floors. Built with modular pieces, wooden decks can easily form artificial topographies, shaping creative and effective public spaces for rest, sports, games, and collective gathering.
Although nowadays there are alternative solutions for the construction of this type of exterior surface, such as composite pieces or others that mix wood and plastic components, the basic sawn wood deck is usually built on a framework structure fixed to the ground through punctual supports. These supports are generally constructed of concrete and attached to the wood using metal fasteners or bolts. The structure, separated from the ground to avoid contact with its natural humidity, is made of a series of perpendicular beams joined by nails, screws, or metal connectors, located at the necessary distance to support the boards that will make up the surface.
When working with natural wood, all wood components will need to be varnished and protected against rain, sun, insects, and frequent use. Also, if the structure is raised above the ground, it is possible to add gravel below to improve drainage or apply herbicides that prevent the growth of weeds.
Review, below, a series of projects that have used wooden decks in public spaces, fulfilling different functional and aesthetic objectives.
Şışhane Park / SANALarc
"Located between the southwestern edge of Beyoglu and the highly trafficked Tarlibasi Road, its design intends to re-engage residents and visitors into the natural qualities of the urban environment as an alternative public space for people to enjoy together in the dense city."
Bostanlı Footbridge & Sunset Lounge / Studio Evren Başbuğ
"The bridge goes beyond being an infra-structural urban element which is solely used for passing through, and defines a public leisure and attraction point in a sensitive relation with its environment. [...] both [urban installations] promise a new urban space to experience different forms of 'idleness', by employing the social, geographical and historical backgrounds of this unique location."
The Floating Island / OBBA & Dertien12
"There are various spaces with different shapes and forms in the middle of the linear trail where people can rest quietly. Visitors can enjoy sunbathing leaning to the tilted ropes or rest on the wide rope hammocks looking at the clouds in the sky. In addition, they can sit on the edge and relieve their stress appreciating the quietly flowing water, read books or reflect on themselves sitting in the circular space alone, or sometimes have a great time playing on the swings."
Root Bench / Yong Ju Lee Architecture
"The metal frame with concrete footing supports the overall form as the main structure, and a wooden deck covers it. [...] As well as suggesting the complete shape of circle, Root Bench is fused into the grass and blurs the boundary between artificial installation and natural environment. While communicating with each other, visitors can feel comfortable in resting space and enjoy the art piece at the same time. It also functions perfectly as furniture with three different heights: child chair (250mm), adult chair (450mm) and table (750mm)."
Sørenga Sjøbad / LPO arkitekter
"The jetty is a wood-covered concrete structure, measuring 190 meters long by 28 meters wide. It weighs 4650 tons and is about 3700 square meters. [...] The park and promenade are universally designed with respect to materiality, ramp gradation, and orientation options."
Paprocany Lake Shore Redevelopment / RS + Robert Skitek
"This terrain was only a lawn by the road before the investment in spite of its landscape value, completely unused except by fishermen. In the first weeks after opening despite the unfavorable weather, the promenade became a frequently visited place."
Recommended Reading
- Not All Parks Should be Green: 10 Tips to Design Landscape Infrastructure
- Urban Acupuncture: Regenerating Public Space Through Hyper-Local Interventions
- Varnishes, Stains, Oils, Waxes: What are the Most Suitable Finishes for Wood?
Find more public spaces with wooden surfaces in this MyArchDaily Folder.
