Module 2: Contemporary Urban Design Theories
Module 2: Contemporary Urban Design Theories-
The social interactions that take place in urban, designed areas are one of the most important reasons why, we as designers, are able to be successful in the design field. How people perceive a space and how they feel in a space is critical knowledge for present designers and future designers as well. Being conscious of human behavior in the public setting will aid in design techniques and create a pleasant space that people will want to be in.
There are many forms of social spaces that I think are well planned and it is noticeable that people like to be in these areas in the cities. For instance, adding a large water feature not only draws people to the area on warm days, but the sound of the fountain adds aesthetics and creates a more comfortable space. There is a large fountain and splash pad located in downtown Portland, OR that draws a lot of attention from locals and visitors. The "Teacher's Fountain" provides an area for people to interact with the site and also has seating around the edges so that people can dip their feet into the water. This design provides an area for social interaction and does not privatize the public space.
"Teacher's Fountain" Portland, OR
Fountains are a great way to bring people together and have them interact with the site, let's be honest, people are going to stop and feel the water, throw coins in, or play in the water almost every time they pass a fountain, so including these in large plaza spaces is a good idea.
Another way to bring people into areas and have them be social is to provided activity spaces. These areas can be for sports, community gatherings, religious events, and the list goes on. An example of an invented activity space is the main plaza in Riomaggiore, one of the five hill towns that makes up Cinqe Terre, Italy. The city is built on steep terrain and there is no room for public space since the buildings are stacked one on top of the other, so they had to create open space. Currently, the main plaza acts as the roof of a few buildings. This is the area they play soccer and there is street furniture there so that people can enjoy spectating the sport or they can relax and take a break from walking around the steep city. This area is popular among the locals for social activities, frankly because it is the only area that they can interact. It is a good way to bring social interaction into a crowded city.
Main Plaza, Riomaggiore, Cinqe Terre Italy, public space that doubles as an activity zone.
In conclusion, social interaction is important for many reasons in a city and create a more welcoming area to visit and to live in. These areas act as gathering spaces for all different types of groups and activities and they are important to consider when laying out or designing a city.
Citations:
Figure 1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/moldovanhome/4894947593/in/set-72157624607727299/
Figure 2:https://photocory.com/2014/05/14/cinque-terre-italy/
There are many forms of social spaces that I think are well planned and it is noticeable that people like to be in these areas in the cities. For instance, adding a large water feature not only draws people to the area on warm days, but the sound of the fountain adds aesthetics and creates a more comfortable space. There is a large fountain and splash pad located in downtown Portland, OR that draws a lot of attention from locals and visitors. The "Teacher's Fountain" provides an area for people to interact with the site and also has seating around the edges so that people can dip their feet into the water. This design provides an area for social interaction and does not privatize the public space.
"Teacher's Fountain" Portland, OR
Fountains are a great way to bring people together and have them interact with the site, let's be honest, people are going to stop and feel the water, throw coins in, or play in the water almost every time they pass a fountain, so including these in large plaza spaces is a good idea.
Another way to bring people into areas and have them be social is to provided activity spaces. These areas can be for sports, community gatherings, religious events, and the list goes on. An example of an invented activity space is the main plaza in Riomaggiore, one of the five hill towns that makes up Cinqe Terre, Italy. The city is built on steep terrain and there is no room for public space since the buildings are stacked one on top of the other, so they had to create open space. Currently, the main plaza acts as the roof of a few buildings. This is the area they play soccer and there is street furniture there so that people can enjoy spectating the sport or they can relax and take a break from walking around the steep city. This area is popular among the locals for social activities, frankly because it is the only area that they can interact. It is a good way to bring social interaction into a crowded city.
Main Plaza, Riomaggiore, Cinqe Terre Italy, public space that doubles as an activity zone.
In conclusion, social interaction is important for many reasons in a city and create a more welcoming area to visit and to live in. These areas act as gathering spaces for all different types of groups and activities and they are important to consider when laying out or designing a city.
Citations:
Figure 1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/moldovanhome/4894947593/in/set-72157624607727299/
Figure 2:https://photocory.com/2014/05/14/cinque-terre-italy/
It is nice to see these gathering spaces actually being activated by human interaction. We often see in the United States public spaces that remain desolate all year long. It is up to us as designers to create spaces that bring all kinds of activities and pushes people to be more social and create a sense of community. What is the point of having a park that is enormous when no one is utilizing it. These smaller plazas seem to be a lot more effective at actually working as a gathering place, than big parks seen throughout American suburbs.
ReplyDeleteI would agree that social interaction is a vital aspect of every city. Creating places for people gather can increase the livability of any city. The collaboration between architects and planners to create spaces for people to gather and interact it key to attracting visitors and residents. I believe that the ingredients for a successful city, especially downtown areas is walkable corridors that connects spaces for not only gathering, but spaces for people to work and live as well.
ReplyDeleteTo continue Andrea's point stating, "What is the point of having a park that is enormous when no one is utilizing it. These smaller plazas seem to be a lot more effective at actually working as a gathering place, than big parks seen throughout American suburbs." We have to acknowledge the scale and configuration of existing contexts before we prescribe series of smaller public spaces. I agree that a network of smaller public spaces is more effective in creating meaningful interactions, but shouldn't we also consider the advantages of open space? It all comes down to the existing conditions and what measures are needed to satisfy them specifically. To conclude, American suburbs are dispersed to an extent that establishing successful public space becomes almost impossible. So in the effort to providing meaningful public space in the suburban context, I believe the solution is only achievable by initially establishing a pedestrian-oriented scale that erases the automobile-centric planning. Defining a more distinctive array of places will increase the community's cohesiveness and determination to engage within public spaces.
ReplyDeletePublic space is needed for an urban design, but open public space consumes too much space in a high-density city. In Hong Kong, for example, residents on Hong Kong Island need an open space for sports and recreation. However, there is not enough land here to build large sports grounds. Therefore, the Hong Kong government spent heavily to build a reclamation project. Victoria Park was built on the sea. But this approach is not affordable for all cities. So I think the multipurpose and changeable compact public space is the future direction of development.
ReplyDeletei agree that public spaces are quite important in urban area's, and spaces like the ones you described both engage and reflect the society and its beliefs in which it's put. Reflecting the city or the society points toward societal urban design theories such as Marxian political economy in which spaces such as the ones you described are crucial.
ReplyDelete