“Codes, regulations, and guidelines are what the built environment is all about. Eliminating risk of injury to the human body, and, perhaps more to the point, that of economic and legal consequences have become the ground rules for those engaged in the design, production, and construction of public spaces.”. In the International Garden Festival garden Safe Zone, designers Stoss Landscape Urbanism employ an array of commercial products designed for potentially dangerous situations and turn them to whimsical uses. Black rubber surfaced mounds, a blue rubber “wood chip” pond, and bright red safety padded trees are a jarring contrast to the natural environment that surrounds it. This safe zone is at once comforting and playful, somewhat destabilizing, and a little sinister. In the video Stoss principal Chris Reed walks us through the garden but our camera’s Memory Stick hit the limit half way through so the video cuts out early, but you get the idea. See more images after the jump.

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Stoss Landscape Urbanism’s Chris Muskopf and Chris Reed in front of their Safe Zone garden.

Another Stoss designed park near completion in Somerville, MA.