Public Space

One way to judge quality in a city is to observe how people spend their time there. A good city not only provides a place where people can enjoy walking from one point to another, but also an environment where they want to linger and partake in recreational activities. Copenhagen and Malmö have become such cities. Many pedestrian streets have been established for walking, while square after square has been set aside to encourage people to stop walking and engage in leisure activities. At night, light is an essential part of the feeling. Low-energy, good lighting design helps improve cities.

Different paving treatments can enhance the aesthetics, and send a visual cue about the function of a street or walkway. For example, an asphalt surface in Copenhagen "reads" as motor vehicle space, while brick implies movement/direction, and cobblestones permanence.

When Curitiba decided to have pedestrian streets, the truck unions organized a protest in which they were going to drive trucks down the pedestrian streets. Local government countered by inviting hundreds of school children to color on the street the day of the protest. Of course, the truck drivers had to cancel their protest drive and Curitiba has had pedestrian streets ever since.

Public Space Postcards at a Glance

Public Space

See other Postcards for Best Practices in the Public Space Category here

Public Space Papers

Public Space Photos at a Glance

Photo Album:

Lighting brings back life to Neighborhood

By Denise Fong