On a sunny but quite cold morning, we visited Braian Park. The FORD Foundation's document introduces Bryant Park as follows:

"Located behind the New York Public Library in Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets and 5th and 6th Avenues, Bryant Park is a public park in the city of New York, and the park is a city landmark, recognized by the Landscape Conservation Board in 1974. Since 1842, when it started as a reservoir, the park has undergone three major changes and has since been renovated and used at high levels.

By the 70s, conditions in the park had deteriorated to the point that it was a hotbed of drugs and crime. However, it was later rebuilt, and the area regenerated thanks to the Rockefeller brothers who established the Bryant Park Restoration Company (BPRC) here. Later, Daniel A. Biederman, a 26-year-old systems consultant who was then chair of the local Community Planning Board, was joined by the Rockefeller brothers and the New York Public Library. The New York community chose to run the company. He and Andrew Haiken, President of the Library, co-founded the Bryant Park Restoration Company on January 3, 1980. Biederman created a separate financial and management plan for the park. This area, according to the theory of urbanist William H. Whyte, is aimed at restoration activities for the benefit of the park. The new Bryant Park opened in 1992 after the construction of an 84-mile-long underground storage space for the New York Library in the adjacent subterranean area. It reopened with a budget six times that of the previous city's management.

This park is very popular, which confirms Whyte's comments in the Street Life Project report, in which he argues that what people in the city look for in public places are other people, comfort, and care, not a place to separate or escape from reality. Today, the park is often compared to the great parks of London and Paris, and in 1996, it won the Urban Land Institute of Excellence Award for Public Projects.

Bryant Park Restoration Company is a privately run, not-for-profit management company, founded by Daniel A. Biederman and Andrew Haiken, with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, individuals, and a business development cooperative cluster of neighboring property owners. The 15-year agreement signed in 1988 to give the management and development of the park to the Bryant Park Restoration Company was the largest experiment in the U.S. in applying private management and private finance to a public park, and it has achieved success according to the assessment of the public, the press, and neighboring agencies. Currently, Mr. Daniel A. Biederman continues to manage the park.

Bryant Park Restoration Company shares management with 34th Street Partner Company, and the two parties share common management principles. Its mission is to: remove crime, trash, graffiti, and bad conditions within the park's confines; provide merchants and tenants with the best conditions to organize new businesses in the area and help existing merchants best serve their customers; support citizens in difficulty or poverty for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of the community; develop streets and parks of impeccable quality; and establish a diversified and stable income channel to spend on regular maintenance activities to sustain these outstanding developments."

While waiting for people from the Park Management Board to come to work, we walked around the park. The largest part of this park is a flat and green lawn, surrounded by rows of trees, walkways, and low walls separating the park from the street. In the cold morning, there were still quite a few people coming to the park. They sat on green iron chairs that the Park Management Board placed scattered everywhere, including on the grass. There were groups of people sitting and talking, people sitting and reading newspapers, people sitting and eating, and people sitting in the sun. There were even three people sleeping in the middle of the grass. Everyone did their own thing and didn't seem to care about each other, not even the three people who were sleeping in a somewhat ungraceful manner, but no one disturbed them.

"It took about 20 minutes of waiting, and then we saw a man wearing white, pink, and nimble glasses approaching to greet us. He apologized because he had initially thought we were going into the office, not staying at the location like this. This man is Euthan Loche, the Public Relations Director of the 34th Street Partnership Company. He invited us to sit on the green iron chairs in the park, huddled together under the bright but cold yellow sunlight of New Zealand - Yoc. He introduced himself, saying:

"As a private company, operating this park, we don't rely on just one source of funding. My salary comes from people renting rooms in buildings around here. Our company operates three parks, one is here, and there are two others elsewhere. In the 1980s, when we initiated the project to renovate this park, it was a very unsafe and dirty place. The common practice in America is to hire someone to design a park when it needs renovation. However, in our opinion, that is not good management. We spent several months observing the activities here, the habits of people when they entered the park...

After that, he showed us the beautiful scenery around the park and explained:

"Before, this area was covered in dense bushes and tangled bundles of electrical wires. The park was enclosed by high, tight walls, and the lighting was insufficient. These conditions allowed criminals to operate and scare people. So, the first thing we had to do was tear down the walls, remove the trees, clean up the power lines, install more lights, and transform this place into an open and well-lit area. Just doing that attracted more people to the park."

With great confidence, Mr. Euthan Loche continued:

"But that wasn't enough. We had to study the habits of the park's visitors as well. There are two things that we pay attention to: first, people prefer portable chairs over fixed benches. They like the flexibility to carry chairs around and place them wherever they want, depending on their preference, like facing each other for conversation or facing the sun for warmth. Second, people don't like to follow straight vertical or horizontal paths in the park. They prefer to meander in various directions. So, instead of having only a few straight-line entrances, we added side gates to allow people to walk diagonally through the park."

He elaborated on 10 principles that guided the park's renovation, including:

1. Design: While design is essential, it's not the only factor. We made adjustments to the original design, such as opening diagonal pathways when the park was previously enclosed.

2. Cleanliness: We pay close attention to keeping the park free of litter and garbage.

3. Security: Although we have two security officers on-site, they don't carry guns. The area is now crime-free, so there's no need for firearms. The presence of security personnel makes everyone feel safe.

4. Landscaping: We added stone structures and small flower beds in the front of the park.

5. Services: Recognizing that New Yorkers often enjoy eating in public places, we introduced food services, which attracted many people. On weekends and evenings, people often gather here for dinner.

6. Seating: The most significant feature is the removable chairs. Unlike other parks, we offer chairs that can be easily moved, allowing people to adjust to the weather, sun, or preferred seating arrangements. This flexibility is ideal for conversation and provides a comfortable setting for couples to confide in each other. Our lightweight chairs are easy to move, and we have 2,300 of them in this park. I've consulted with many partners, but they say this concept is unique to New York due to low theft rates. I encourage Vietnamese friends to explore the possibility of introducing mobile chairs in their parks. If you do, please take photos and send them to me. I will use them in my presentations."

7. Park Events: (In the middle of speaking, the director pointed to a man walking diagonally across the park)."

Mr. Loche then mentioned another aspect:

"I must also address the issue of restrooms. Without them, people would resort to using the street. We have a restroom at the other end. In 1965, there were no restrooms in this area."

"Regarding lighting: In the past, this park used to close at night. We recognized the need for a robust lighting system. We've approached lighting this park in various ways: We have lights on poles, copper pole lamps—although quite expensive, we received 13 of them as a generous donation from a wealthy lady. The light atop these columns resembles teardrops. (While explaining this, the director demonstrated by saying, 'You can see, before sitting down, people often adjust their chairs and even make phone calls to ensure they have the right spot to enjoy the view. Typically, on days like this, fewer people visit the park.') The lights illuminate the water jets, and we also use stadium floodlights. With this improved lighting, as you can see, we now stay open until 11 pm on warm evenings, rather than closing early as we used to.

We not only invest in the park itself but also take care of the surrounding roads.

Our park is home to many homeless individuals. Three people, for instance, were peacefully sleeping on the grass in broad daylight. Among them were two elderly men and one woman. Despite the chilly weather and lack of cover, they slept soundly, perhaps due to exhaustion. It's worth noting that in the United States, homeless individuals, like the three we see here, are often people of color. Upon closer observation, I noticed that people of color might work in various professions, including as police officers or salespeople, but they are predominantly engaged in physically demanding jobs such as porters, street vendors, and shoe shiners. I haven't encountered a white person doing such work.

The part about park revenues was astonishing to me—there are numerous revenue streams contributing significant funds. The director explained:

"Annually, our company allocates $4 million for the maintenance of this park. We generate $1 million from renting kiosks around the park, another $1 million from leasing performance venues, and receive an additional $1 million in contributions from homeowners in the vicinity. Furthermore, we sell chairs identical to the ones we're sitting in as souvenirs. These chairs used to cost $29 each, but now they sell for up to $120, yet people continue to purchase them. This demonstrates the high regard people have for our park. When this park was under state management, it incurred substantial expenses. However, since we've taken over, the state no longer needs to allocate funds. I believe I could rejuvenate any park worldwide to match the quality of this one. I'm aware that there's a neglected park in England; I would love to work on its revitalization (I discreetly asked Tim if this was accurate, and Tim subtly shook his head). The rejuvenation of this park has boosted the area's property values, leading to higher rental rates for homes surrounding the park. I plan to collaborate with local homeowners to request an increase in their contributions, as the current $1 million seems insufficient. Did you know that, thanks to the park's makeover, which transformed it into a cultural hotspot attracting a significant number of visitors, rental prices for homes around here have surged by 15 to 20%? Therefore, they should contribute more to us!"

I meticulously recorded the meeting with the park director because it was quite unique and showcased the meticulous nature of Americans in their work, as well as their strong sense of purpose. While presenting the park's activities, the director paused three times to demonstrate how people entering the park utilize the park's benches to illustrate the advantages of the points he was making. Regarding the movable chairs, he delivered an almost hour-long presentation. However, after briefly discussing people's usage of the chairs, he seamlessly returned to his main topic without becoming sidetracked.

On one Sunday, I revisited the Brazilian park to observe its operations. It was bustling with activity. What struck me as unusual was the absence of restrictions against walking on the grass. I'm uncertain whether this is due to the grass being hardy and not easily trampled underfoot or because people consistently care for and replace damaged grass patches. Thousands of people flocked to the park. They strolled along the path encircling the park, seeking shade beneath the trees. They sat on the velvety grass, eagerly awaiting art performances. Tented mobile shops offered souvenirs, books, and food. The lively atmosphere was enhanced by loud music. Yet, amid all this activity, there was still a woman, her head wrapped in an American flag-printed scarf, sleeping soundly on the lawn, providing me with material for this book.".