Reflections on public space under the epidemic
In the above article, the author mentioned ten elements of public space design, and then introduced us to different designs and concepts of public space in different regions. I also want to say that there is no doubt that public space has become an important theme in today’s society. We are all trying to introduce urban public space in different levels and types of large-scale urban buildings, and use it as the scene of core-purpose buildings . At the same time public spaces appear in various urban scenes. But actually I question whether people are actually involved? Are public spaces really well used? The truth is quite the opposite. People engage in public activities less and less in public places, and exchanges between different cultural groups are less and less. Different cultural habits lead to completely different needs and usage methods for public space. The emergence of mobile phones and the Internet has made people more isolated from the surrounding space, business has eroded public space, and more surveillance has led to stricter management of public space, etc., all of which are considered evidence of the demise of public space [1].
Public spaces on the streets of London in March
[1]https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2021/local-and-national-restrictions-england-reduced-contacts-small-and-varied-ways
The following are some questions I pondered. First, although shopping malls are a necessary function of public spaces to meet people’s daily needs and encourage daily participation, the heavy reliance on a single commercial function shows that these spaces have limited adaptability to lockdowns, and these spaces also reduce opportunities to improve pedestrians’ physical and mental health. Excessive commercialization kills the incentive for people to use these spaces.
Empty streets in (1) London, UK, (2) Buenos Aires, Argentina, (3) Madrid, Spain, and
Kunnamkulam, India during the COVID-19 pandemic
[2] https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces.html
Green Space
Inequalities in green space use rights. People who live in areas of high poverty or compact urban areas and those who live in high-rise buildings are at higher risk for mental health problems. Urban residents therefore have limited access to green spaces. The problem of high population density in green space. There is a limited amount of green space in cities. Green spaces as the only attractive public spaces available for exercise and leisure lead to high densities of people using these limited spaces—thus, short physical distances between people. Avoid visiting crowded green spaces due to concerns about the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Optimizing Public Spaces to Get Closer to Nature
Creating small green spaces and improving the adaptability of streets, squares, and semi-public spaces may help provide more equal opportunities to improve mental health during the pandemic. Other functions such as physical activity and restorative benefits can still be provided in the absence of specific functions and social activities [2]. Enhance the safety and adaptability of natural landscapes, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and city streets and squares. Provide natural features such as trees, landscaping, fountains, and paddling pools within public spaces to increase access to nature. Create green street networks to improve the natural environment in compact urban areas. The Green Network distributes nature and greenery over a wider area of the city. Doing so helps reduce the density of users in the green space, thereby increasing the distance between people to ensure a safe distance.
Optimize the safe use of public space
The closure of active-use shops, restaurants and bars has reduced public surveillance due to fewer people on streets and squares. Optimizing communal spaces for physical activity increases the versatility of these spaces. In this case, provide non-contact gaming opportunities such as graffiti on the ground. Might be a better choice for children to play in public places.
Children’s experience space
[3]https://www.thehighline.org/
Optimizing the adaptability of semi-public and semi-private spaces, such as public areas and the roofs of high-rise buildings. Using these spaces for relaxation and physical activity may be another option for people living in areas where access to green space is difficult.
People’s use of roofs during Iran’s blockade
[4] https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces.html
Reference
[1]https://www.gooood.cn/search/
[2]https://www.gooood.cn/urban-research-the-gaps-of-public-space-by-monolith-architects.
Image references:
[1]https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2021/local-and-national-restrictions-england-reduced-contacts-small-and-varied-ways
[2]https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces
[3]https://www.thehighline.org/
[4]https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces
Reflections on public space under the epidemic
In the above article, the author mentioned ten elements of public space design, and then introduced us to different designs and concepts of public space in different regions. I also want to say that there is no doubt that public space has become an important theme in today’s society. We are all trying to introduce urban public space in different levels and types of large-scale urban buildings, and use it as the scene of core-purpose buildings . At the same time public spaces appear in various urban scenes. But actually I question whether people are actually involved? Are public spaces really well used? The truth is quite the opposite. People engage in public activities less and less in public places, and exchanges between different cultural groups are less and less. Different cultural habits lead to completely different needs and usage methods for public space. The emergence of mobile phones and the Internet has made people more isolated from the surrounding space, business has eroded public space, and more surveillance has led to stricter management of public space, etc., all of which are considered evidence of the demise of public space [1].
Public spaces on the streets of London in March
[1]https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2021/local-and-national-restrictions-england-reduced-contacts-small-and-varied-ways
The following are some questions I pondered. First, although shopping malls are a necessary function of public spaces to meet people’s daily needs and encourage daily participation, the heavy reliance on a single commercial function shows that these spaces have limited adaptability to lockdowns, and these spaces also reduce opportunities to improve pedestrians’ physical and mental health. Excessive commercialization kills the incentive for people to use these spaces.
Empty streets in (1) London, UK, (2) Buenos Aires, Argentina, (3) Madrid, Spain, and
Kunnamkulam, India during the COVID-19 pandemic
[2] https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces.html
Green Space
Inequalities in green space use rights. People who live in areas of high poverty or compact urban areas and those who live in high-rise buildings are at higher risk for mental health problems. Urban residents therefore have limited access to green spaces. The problem of high population density in green space. There is a limited amount of green space in cities. Green spaces as the only attractive public spaces available for exercise and leisure lead to high densities of people using these limited spaces—thus, short physical distances between people. Avoid visiting crowded green spaces due to concerns about the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Optimizing Public Spaces to Get Closer to Nature
Creating small green spaces and improving the adaptability of streets, squares, and semi-public spaces may help provide more equal opportunities to improve mental health during the pandemic. Other functions such as physical activity and restorative benefits can still be provided in the absence of specific functions and social activities [2]. Enhance the safety and adaptability of natural landscapes, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and city streets and squares. Provide natural features such as trees, landscaping, fountains, and paddling pools within public spaces to increase access to nature. Create green street networks to improve the natural environment in compact urban areas. The Green Network distributes nature and greenery over a wider area of the city. Doing so helps reduce the density of users in the green space, thereby increasing the distance between people to ensure a safe distance.
Optimize the safe use of public space
The closure of active-use shops, restaurants and bars has reduced public surveillance due to fewer people on streets and squares. Optimizing communal spaces for physical activity increases the versatility of these spaces. In this case, provide non-contact gaming opportunities such as graffiti on the ground. Might be a better choice for children to play in public places.
Children’s experience space
[3]https://www.thehighline.org/
Optimizing the adaptability of semi-public and semi-private spaces, such as public areas and the roofs of high-rise buildings. Using these spaces for relaxation and physical activity may be another option for people living in areas where access to green space is difficult.
People’s use of roofs during Iran’s blockade
[4] https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces.html
Reference
[1]https://www.gooood.cn/search/
[2]https://www.gooood.cn/urban-research-the-gaps-of-public-space-by-monolith-architects.
Image references:
[1]https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2021/local-and-national-restrictions-england-reduced-contacts-small-and-varied-ways
[2]https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces
[3]https://www.thehighline.org/
[4]https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/journal-6-covid19-public-spaces
The fundamental ideas for a quality public space has always been a great topic for discussion in the urban context. This is a practical take on the day-today reader to understand the usage of the public spaces and incline to understand ideas by inferring specific examples from different cities that gives clarity for the readers to visualise the essense of the communal spaces.
William Fulton exclusively writes about these in the paper “Design of an urban design”, he talks about the regional design being an integration of socio-economic profile of a region and the ecological factors that determine the life of the region. The engineers merely focus on the functionality aspect of the planning, whereas, other elements such as connectivity and aesthetics take a back seat. ‘One size fits all’ mindset overrules the Spatial qualities and context of the neighbourhood, the issues of the city caused due to the lack of quality designs according to these design principles which are of flawed implementation.
In this blog, you have written that the human scale adds as an important factor to design public spaces, and this is one of the major aspects William Fulton talks about in the city reader. Design principles such as diversity, conservation and human scale are to be considered upon designing.
Human scale is one of the important factors that drives activities by engaging in public spaces. They relate to the streets that orient the views their way and have some relation to the edge of the street. They also correlate to the economic factors and the social aspects of the neighbourhood, it also covers the first point of Diversity in the above read, where William Fulton gives fine examples of the latter. He mentions that the diversity of uses has multiple meanings in terms of ethnicity and typology of the built form, which are important in maintaining harmony and helping in preserving local ecologies. Fundamental to the economic growth and scope for improvement in the public realm, where Conservation implies to preserve the architectural, cultural and heritage of a place. They help in retaining the identity of a neighbourhood while sustaining forms of growth as local materials and labour can be used to restore the buildings.
Similarly, in the paper vision of urbanism written by Howard Ebenezer talks about ideas that include three different magnets where the town magnet represents economic growth and social wellbeing, without breathable natural habitats. The country magnet represents Natural coexistence with agricultural lands, devoid of health care and education. Thereby, proposing a third magnet which comprises both these factors providing equal opportunities for a sustainable growth. He also compares them with social and symbolic factors.
The idea of Garden City encompasses the concentric pattern of development. The central node being the central park surrounded by public buildings, libraries, theatres, hospitals, galleries, etc. The second ring is formed by the crystal palace which is ideally a wide glass arcade and also serves as a winter garden. The city is divided into six huge boulevards which radiate from the centre. The palace adjoins the fifth avenue which acts as a primary access to the housing units. These are some of the fine linkages in the urban zoning that connects, enhances and encourages economic, social and environmental values of the city.
Hi Nishmitha,
I’m happy to see your blog. This blog covers the essential subject of public space and is quite educational. For a city’s identity and economics, public places are crucial. Along with other topics, it covers the significance of contemporary urbanization in cities.
First of all, the main point of the blog is very crucial which is that we are consumed in our environment which is digital and tech savvy. We don’t have time, energy and passion to go through natural life and its beauty. When someone designing public space it is very much vital for needs of public. Public space is defined as “the space for the public,” and a city’s design will be effective if people like using it.
She highlighted ten crucial design elements for public spaces, all of which I thought were excellent. However, she made one remark about a “active façade” that, in my opinion, had nothing to do with public spaces. If I’m wrong, though, façade is a completely separate subject. It would be great if you provided more information on this term so that people could comprehend it better.
The examples are outstanding. She only discussed the benefits of public spaces, but there are also various drawbacks, such as the fact that in some regions of the world they might exacerbate traffic problems. I believe she should also include these drawbacks since it will help with public space design. For instance, Gujarat’s waterfront is a fantastic illustration because it effectively addresses the traffic problem, but water pollution has a negative influence on the city. She included numerous example of growth in various countries in the last paragraph, but I believe she might have expand this subject.
Overall, this blog is good and informative. It covers many things and she well explained importance of public space.