discussion

PUP 420: Theory of Urban Design

Paley Park, New York City

Space and Interaction As planners, architects, and landscape architects, we can help create environments that are more vibrant and lively, and that encourage social interaction. But this isn’t a guarantee. Just because we create places that should be places where people would like to go, this doesn’t guarantee people will actually go there or behave there how we think they will. This is what’s meant by having a probabilistic relationship—that people will probably behave in a certain way, under certain conditions, but it’s not guaranteed.

St. James’s Park, London

Plus, we’re more likely to be able to encourage more superficial interactions, but less likely to make any sort of impact on deeper relationships, which tend to be based on things like having a common background or interests rather than on the physical environment.

Perceptions of Space Ideally, we would be designing our cities with an understanding of human perception. Most relevant to planning is what we can see and hear. We can look at five physical arrangements that can either promote or inhibit social interaction.

Kamezuka Koen Park, Tokyo

The first of these is walls versus no walls. If there are barriers, such as walls, not a lot of interaction can take place. This, for example, is a wall around a children’s park in Tokyo. How much interaction do you think there is between people on the sidewalk and kids/ people in the park?

Perceptions of Space Long distances versus short distances: this is simply the idea that social interaction requires the ability to see and hear each other.

Central Park, NYC

Perceptions of Space High speeds versus low speeds: How much opportunity for social

Fifth Avenue, NYC

interaction is there with other drivers on the freeway? How much opportunity is there for interaction with people you pass while walking through campus? Speed of movement through a space influences our experience of that space.

Perceptions of Space

Multiple levels versus one level: Human vision is mostly horizontal. We see more of what’s going on around us from side to side than what we see above us.

Singapore

Sometimes we build up out of necessity because we don’t have room to expand outwards. But people mostly observe what’s happening on the ground floor of tall buildings.

Perceptions of Space

Back-to-back versus face-to-face orientation: People prefer to be oriented toward other people, where they can observe activity and interact with others, even if they choose not to interact.

What Makes a Place Successful? You can judge the accessibility of a place by its connections to its surroundings, both visual and physical. A successful public space is easy to get to and get through; it is visible both from a distance and up close. The edges of a space are important as well. For instance, a row of shops along a street is more interesting and generally safer to walk by than a blank wall or empty lot.

Campus Martius, Detroit

To judge the accessibility of a place, you can ask yourself questions such as these:

Can you see the space from a distance? Is there a good connection between the space and the adjacent buildings, or is it surrounded by blank walls? Can people easily walk to the place? Do sidewalks lead to and from the adjacent areas? Can people use a variety of transportation options—bus train, car, bicycle, etc.—to reach the place?

What Makes a Place Successful? Whether a space is comfortable and presents itself well are key to its success. Comfort includes perceptions about safety, cleanliness, and the availability of places to sit—the importance of giving people the choice to sit where they want is generally underestimated. Women in particular are good judges of comfort and image, because they tend to be more discriminating about the public spaces they use (for safety reasons).

Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia

In evaluating a place for comfort, ask yourself… Does the place make a good first impression? Are there enough places to sit? Do people have a choice to sit in the sun or shade? Does the area feel safe? Is it clean?

What Makes a Place Successful? Activities are the basic building blocks of a place. Having something to do gives people a reason to go to a place—and return. When there is nothing to do, a space will be empty and that generally means that something is wrong. Principles to keep in mind: The more activities that are going on and that people have an opportunity to participate in, the better.

Salzburg, Austria

Are people of different ages using the space? Is it used throughout the day, and by both singles and people in groups? A space that is used by both singles and people in groups is better than one that is just used by people alone because it means that there are places for people to sit with friends and there is more socializing.

What Makes a Place Successful? Finally… We have the issue of sociability. This is a difficult quality for a place to achieve, but once attained it becomes an unmistakable feature. When people see friends, greet their neighbors, and feel comfortable interacting with strangers, they tend to feel a stronger sense of place or attachment to their community—and to the place that fosters these types of social activities. In evaluating a place, ask yourself if this is a place where you would choose to meet your friends. Are people talking to each other? Do people seem to know

Dupont Circle, Washington, DC

each other by face or by name? Do people make eye contact with each other? Are people smiling? Do people use the place regularly and by choice?

What Makes a Place Fail?

Many public spaces don’t provide a place to sit. Because people just want to be comfortable, they’re often forced to adapt to the situation in their own way. Sometimes they simply give up. A lack of good places to sit is an equally important issue. For example, a choice of seats in the sun or shade can make all the difference in a place’s success, depending on its climate and location. Allowing people to sit near a playground or within view of other activities is also crucial.

What Makes a Place Fail?

A lack of activity can kill a place. This includes features people want or need, such as playgrounds, or places where varying elements—bus stop, vending cart, outdoor seating—combine to create a gathering point. Food is often a critical component of a successful gathering point.

What Makes a Place Fail?

If a place is visually inaccessible, it is more likely to fail. If a space is to be used, people need to see it and they need to be able to get to it. A dark or narrow entrance keeps people (especially women) out of the place instead of inviting them in.

This is the old entrance to Bryant Park in NYC, before it was completely redesigned. With this original design, you can’t see the park within from these steps.

What Makes a Place Fail? A domination of a space by cars will contribute to a failed place. There may be a lack of crosswalks, or streets that are too wide, or lacking sidewalks. A main street is not a freeway. One should not fear crossing the street so much that the activity needs to occur in groups. Crossing the street should be an easy, comfortable activity, even if you have to wait.

What Makes a Place Fail?

Blank walls or dead zones around the edges of a place are a sign of failure. The area around a space is as important to its success as the design and management of the space itself. The blank wall contributes nothing to the activity of the street.

What Makes a Place Fail? Lastly, bus or train stops located in places where no one wants to use them are a good recipe for failure. A transit stop located in a busy, active place can not only make that place better, but also increase transit use.

vs.

End of Unit 7.