Parque Central is one of Valencia’s most ambitious urban transformations, a 23-hectare green lung that reclaims former railway land and reconnects surrounding neighbourhoods. Designed by Kathryn Gustafson and her team, the park is intended as the city’s new meeting point, a space that blends ecology, infrastructure, and social life.
The landscape design combines dense Mediterranean planting with shaded promenades and a network of water channels that cool the air and create a multisensory experience. Lawns, open clearings, and play areas invite diverse uses throughout the day, while topography and vegetation create a sense of intimacy despite the park’s size. The result is a public space that is not only visually striking but also resilient, climate-responsive, and highly functional.
Within this setting, seating elements play a crucial role in shaping the visitor experience. The Mimetic collection, designed by Yonoh Studio, was chosen as part of the park’s furniture system. These concrete benches are sculptural yet unobtrusive — generous in scale, but refined enough to blend with the topography and planting. Their organic geometry softens the material’s inherent solidity, allowing them to almost disappear into the landscape while still offering comfortable, durable seating.
Mimetic is more than a place to sit; it is part of the park’s spatial and ecological narrative. By integrating with the terrain rather than standing apart from it, the benches help create a continuous, fluid public space where design meets nature and functionality meets beauty. They encourage visitors to pause, gather, and inhabit the park in multiple ways, making them an essential part of Parque Central’s identity.
Edited by Durbanis
Photography by David Zarzoso
