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The world is home to thousands of national parks, but the term “national park” itself differs in meaning depending on where you are. “In the United Kingdom, for example, the phrase simply describes a relatively undeveloped area that attracts tourists. In the United States, this terminology is a lot more rigid, describing 63 protected areas operated by the United States National Park Service.”
With fewer options for indoor entertainment during the pandemic, Americans have been flocking to outdoor spaces and national parks in particular. In the Spring and Summer, however, visitors found crowded parking lots and congested trailheads instead of the serenity they were initially seeking. Understandably, the draw for these parks is the natural scenery and the promise of breathtaking vistas along miles of hiking trails, but often overlooked is the architecture that has sprung up – “most often in the forms of lodges, projects which have sought to harmonize themselves within their immediate environment.” Take an architectural journey through the national parks around the world below, which “provides an interesting framework to help us understand the age-old question of building in harmony with the natural world.”
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