I am a designer and have taught for many years on the Goldsmiths Eco Design degree (now combined with the Design BA). One of the key issues for design today, and for the future, is sustainability. For me the problem of the fence is not its purpose (keeping dogs and children in two discrete areas, though this, of course is also open to debate), but the lack of understand of good design. Among many demands, good design must, at least, address function, form and use of materials. The fence is BAD design on all counts... 1. The fence uses an unnecessarily large quantity of material, ie metal which a non renewable resource. 2. The overly weighty use of this material is not just an issues in terms of quantity, it also causes a visual problem - it is so solid looking that it blocks the view though the park and creates an unnatural divide to the space. 3. The aesthetic of the fence does not enhance park, or sit well with the old railings around the park, which use far less materials and do not block the view... in fact the ?right? railing design was already sitting there in front of their eyes... LESS IS MORE!!!!.