FIVE-STAR PUBLIC SPACE: WHAT MAKES A GREAT PUBLIC SPACE?
A public space is a place that is open and accessible to the general public (wikipedia). It is an important aspect of urban design. Creating a suitable physical framework can encourage people to use public spaces, engage in social activities, and spend more time outdoors . Therefore, the design and quality of public spaces are essential in meeting the human need for outdoor activities and social interactions.
So what makes a great public space?
Figure1: What makes a great public space? (What makes a successful place? no date).
A great public space usually has four qualities: Access & linkages, comfort & image, uses & activities and sociability.
Access & linkages
A successful public space is easy to reach and pass through. It can be seen from a distance and from close up. The edges of the space are also important: for example, a row of shops along a street is more interesting and often safer to walk through than a blank wall or open space. Ideally, it is easy to reach on foot, and public transport is easy to access.
Comfort & image
Whether a space is comfortable and has a good image is the key to its success. Comfort includes safety, cleanliness, and usable seating space. People are free to choose where they want to sit.
Uses & activities
Activities and uses are what attract people to visit. It is also what makes a place unique. Different people are able to have the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities in the space.
Sociability
Great public spaces attract people to socialize and promote a sense of belonging to the place.
Examples of what makes a great public space
Luxembourg Gardens – Paris, France
Figure2: Moveable chairs can be found dotted on pathways around Luxembourg Gardens in Paris (T., B. 2023)
The Luxembourg Gardens were completed in 1625 and the park itself has been open to the public since the 17th century. This park is one of the most successful parks in existence, it contains many walking paths filled with hundreds of user-friendly moveable chairs. It is easily accessible and has a wide range of activities: people come to walk, play chess, sit and read a book, sit in the café, or take their children or grandchildren to one of the many children’s attractions. Activities organised by the park include tennis, outdoor concerts, pony rides, puppet theatre and toy sailboat rentals, making this a public place full of endless activities that encourage people to stay.
Central Park – New York City, United States
Figure3: Central Park in New York City (Quintano, A. 2023)
The completed Central Park officially opened in 1876. Olmsted and Vaux designed Central Park to incorporate a variety of landscapes and experiences. The park encompasses wide lawns, picturesque woodlands, meandering streams and wide lakes, all connected by winding paths, carriage drives and bridle paths. As well, the park contains a variety of activity areas and facilities such as baseball and football fields, a carousel, ice rink, zoo and theatre. Attracting 42 million visitors annually, it is one of the most visited urban parks in the country and one of the most popular destinations in New York City.
Millennium Park – Chicago, United States
Figure4: Public art – Crown Fountain in Millennium Park (Crown Fountain. 2022)
Millennium Park opened in 2004, it is a portion of the 319-acre (129.1 ha) Grant Park, known as the “front lawn” of downtown Chicago. Featuring a variety of public art, outdoor spaces and venues. The park has won awards for its accessibility and green design, and Millennium Park is considered one of the largest green roofs in the world, being built on top of railways and car parks. It has also been successful as a public art venue, in part due to the scale of each piece and the open display space. Millennium Park was the top tourist destination in Chicago and in the Midwest, and placed among the top ten in the United States with 25 million annual visitors.
We can see that all examples of great public spaces fulfil the criteria of Access & linkages, comfort & image, uses & activities and sociability.
References
Public space (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_space (Accessed: 08 November 2023).
What makes a successful place? (no date) RSS. Available at: https://www.pps.org/article/grplacefeat (Accessed: 08 November 2023).
T., B. (2023) Walking paths, Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/85353181@N00/15568190513/in/photolist-pHH3DP-dBJUry-94X1wk-8b9fbe-rL224T-eWDs3p-hYzqUW-5rrRu1-eWQSPm-tST6Y8-5HkFXV-a9QQeG-3gLKoZ-fPBSTL-hZU7ex-4z5iK4-qP1Pmy-hZZ4Ho-vSwyEf-qfdwRk-A1iv2A-AjmXzV-AXkaa8-A1rY7v-AYiYhZ-AjmZQN-A1rDSK-AjmFDX-AEHjxQ-AW9FYN-pN1dZ1-AYjyn2-deQU68-AYj2ax-apPsRW-A1rkWp-AjnB3G-8xJcgg-AEHABJ-AmFB34-A1ieTE-AW9oEQ-imUjge-2smdfW-bC6k3n-85ha7g-hZZfb7-eWDt5p-hZVHJG-ae7Ket/ (Accessed: 08 November 2023).
Quintano, A. (2023) Global citizen festival central park New York City from nyonair, Flickr. Available at: https://flickr.com/photos/quintanomedia/15351915006/in/photostream/ (Accessed: 09 November 2023).
Crown Fountain (2022) Millennium Park Foundation. Available at: https://millenniumparkfoundation.org/art-architecture/crown-fountain/ (Accessed: 09 November 2023).
