PUBLIC SPACE

Public spaces have the power to connect people and cities. Image from Car Free NYC on Earth Day 2017. Photo by New York City Department of Transportation / Flickr

Our impressions of a city are formed mainly by the quality of public spaces. If they are not pleasant and preserved, or if they transmit a sense of insecurity, we will seldom return. Good planning of these spaces should be the rule, not the exception. The series “Public Spaces” was originally published in Portuguese by The City Fix Brasil. We explore various aspects of public spaces in the series.. These aspects shape our daily experience in cities.

Among city buildings, there is a network of spaces. These spaces create and strengthen connections at different levels of influence. In a book, they would be between the lines: the implicit meaning between concrete. Public spaces fill the urban gaps with life. They are directly associated with the construction of a city. They influence the relationships created within the city.

“When we refer to the streets and other public spaces of a city, we are actually talking about the city’s own identity. Lara Caccia, Urban Development Specialist at WRI Brasil, explains in her dissertation. She works at WRI Brasil Cicadas Sustentive. She wrote about “Urban mobility: public policies and space appropriation in Brazilian cities.” She says these places show human exchanges, relationships, diverse uses, and each place’s purpose. They also reveal the conflicts and contradictions of society.

IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SPACES

Public areas shape community ties in neighborhoods. In addition to being meeting spots, they can encourage activism, promote political mobilization, and lower crime rates. They serve as spaces for communication and idea sharing. They have an effect on the urban environment’s quality.While not considered “public spaces,” cafes, bookstores and bars have similar impacts. Public spaces also present health benefits. Both physically and mentally, people feel better in attractive, public spaces. They also tend to be more active.

Children play in a public space event in São Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Victor Moriyama / WRI Brasil Cidades Sustentáveis / Flickr

It is possible to go even deeper. We can relate the presence and planning of public spaces with democratic values. The structure and social hierarchy of a place reflect the culture. They also reflect how common spaces are planned, controlled, and used. As Ben Rogers points out, the more diverse and lively urban spaces are. The more equal, prosperous and democratic society becomes. This assertion is based on the very definition of public space. It is an open, freely accessible, and democratic environment.

WHAT ARE A GOOD PUBLIC SPACES

A good public space reflects diversity and encourages people to live together effortlessly. It establishes the prerequisites for permanency. It encourages people to spend time outside. People are drawn to areas because of their vibrancy. The possibility of enjoying urban spaces in various ways guarantees this vitality. Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a non-profit organization. It helps people create and maintain public spaces. PPS discusses The Power of 10:

a good public space needs to present at least ten possibilities. This includes different things people can do in it, and ten reasons to be there. Without the ten things, these areas become places of passage. People do not want to be there because there is nothing that makes them stay. Lara says, “Quality public spaces are usable and increase urban vitality. They will make people feel safer. This will encourage them to stay and coexist. Photo by New York City Department of Transportation / Flickr

It is a two-way street: people will be on the street if they feel safe. The street will be a safer environment the more people use them. Below, we present ten principles for creating a high-quality public space. The elements relate with each other. Active facades and constructions on the human scale promote the local economy. For example, the combination of the two will ensure accessible, equitable, and safe spaces for people.

1. Diversity of uses:

Blending residential, office, and commercial areas attracts people. It also makes the environment safer and friendlier. It includes bars, restaurants, cafes, and local commerce. The diversity of uses generates external activities. More people on the streets helps to inhibit crime. This contributes to the safety of spaces. This diversity, however, needs to cover all times of day. If the spaces are inviting and only busy during the day, they will still be unsafe places at night. Planning public spaces to encourage people’s coexistence and permanence is also a way to invest in security.

2. Active facades:

The connection between the ground level of the buildings, the sidewalk, and the street contributes to safety. It also contributes to the attractiveness of urban design. Visually more interesting streets are used more often by people. In addition, this relationship influences people’s perception of the city and how they are to use it. Jane Jacobs says that streets and sidewalks mainly indicate how people perceive and use public space.

3. Social dimension and urban vitality:

As an aggregator of people, public space has influence over the social dimension. Wide streets, squares, parks, sidewalks, and bike paths are accessible. They stimulate interaction between people and the environment. Urban furniture generates a positive use of space and increases urban vitality. It’s crucial to consider the peripheries. Also, focus on high-density urban areas. Guarantee quality public spaces for the population that does not live in the city center.

4. Human scale:

High-scale, high-density construction can negatively affect people’s health. In his field studies, Jan Gehl noted that people tend to walk faster when passing empty or inactive areas. In contrast, they walk slower and quieter in livelier, more active environments. Human-scale constructions have a positive effect on people’s perceptions of public spaces. They feel that they were considered in the planning process of that space.

Efficient, people-oriented lighting makes public spaces safer at night. It also encourages people to use the spaces. Public lighting creates safer conditions for pedestrians and cyclists in low light. It’s necessary for their safety.

6. Stimulating the local economy:

Quality public spaces benefit people by offering leisure and living areas. They also have the potential to boost the local economy. The safe and attractive conditions foster walking and cycling. This leads to easy access of local commerce.

7. Local identity:

Public spaces should be planned for the small businesses that characterize the neighborhood. Large enterprises, such as supermarkets or other chain companies, can contribute to the economy in general. However, they have little participation in the scale of the neighborhood. Small businesses and ventures have significant long-term impacts. They add to the personality and identity of the place. When planning a public space, consider the area’s social dynamics and cultural specificities. This helps create a strong relationship between people and place.

8. Complete streets:

Public areas should follow the principles of Complete Streets. They should also follow the principles of “shared spaces” where possible.” The Complete Streets concept defines streets designed to ensure the safe circulation of all users. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and users of public transport. A complete street includes sidewalks in good condition. It also has infrastructure for bicycles, street furniture, and signage. They serve all users.

9. Green areas:

Vegetation contributes to air quality and eases summer temperatures. It also humanizes cities by attracting people to outdoor activities. As cities become denser, access to green public spaces will become even more important. Urban forestation can lower people’s stress levels and enhance well-being in cities. In addition, trees, plants, and flowerbeds are strategic for urban drainage. They also help maintain biodiversity.

10. Social participation:

Residents must be involved in designing, planning, and administering urban public spaces and neighborhoods. It is essential. This helps maintain the quality of these spaces. Public spaces have different uses and meanings in each neighborhood and community. Resident involvement ensures that public space will meet the community’s distinct needs. If a space does not reflect the demands and desires of the local population, it will not be used or maintained. Social participation is a central element for the construction of safer, equitable public areas.

Every day, society changes city life. New policies, technologies, and transportation options also transform it. Urbanization, densification, and high motorization rates create planning challenges. They instigate cities to think about new development models. However, public spaces’ importance for quality of life stays constant amid constant change. They continue to be spaces for exchange, coexistence and meetings. They continue to be vital for urban well-being. Beyond the walls that surround us, on the street is where life happens.