164 years later, one radical designer’s ideas about nature are vital to future cities

If you live in a major American city or if you have ever been to one, then you have very likely experienced one architect’s singular influence. New York’s Central Park, the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington D.C., the Grand Necklace of Parks in Wisconsin, and even California’s Stanford University’s grounds all owe their genesis to Frederick Law Olmsted, born 200 years ago on April 26. But these are just four of many parks, university grounds, and suburbs designed by Olmsted that sought to put nature (albeit, a curated form of nature) into the urban space for the benefit of every city resident.