An annual competition to recognize public spaces for their economic and social benefit has announced six finalists.

"Selected from entries representing urban areas all over the world, six parks were named finalists in the Urban Open Space Award competition, the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) annual contest to recognize successful large- and small-scale public spaces that have socially and economically enriched their surrounding communities," according to a post by Caroline Massie.
"This year’s six shortlisted projects are the Marina Bay in Singapore; Millennium Park in Chicago; Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Thousand Lantern Lake Park System in Foshan, Guangdong, China; Tongva Park and Ken Genser Square in Santa Monica, Calif.; and Washington Canal Park in Washington, D.C."
To be eligible for the competition, the public space must have been open to the public between one and 15 years and be predominantly outdoors, in addition to a host of other qualifications. The article includes photos of each of the six finalists and information on the final award.
FULL STORY: Urban Land Institute Shortlists Six International Parks in 2015 Urban Open Space Award Competition

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