Week 7: Public Space

              In Tuesday’s class we discussed the benefits, basic rules, and critiques of public space, or “open space.” Public space provides people the only type of area where there is equal access, and use for everyone. In other words, your race, gender, age, certifications, etc. do not dictate how one is able to use that space. Public space is the location of movement of goods, services, and ideas without tax or cost. It is important for assembly, communication, and political debate. Historically, it was necessary because there were no cell phones and no technology… this is the only way people could talk and share ideas. A public space is open to public health, recreation, etc…; it is a space of debate – both democratic and social; and it is accessible- all city-goes are equal and there is free circulation of persons and goods. This accessibility reflects a notion of basic quality, social freedom of circulation, and anonymity. Also, Public spaces have become an asset upon which cities build their image and upon which developers sell real estate. But, public space is more and more recognized as an essential ingredient to the sustainability of cites for social, economic, and ecological reasons. Large public spaces have been important historically for other social and political reasons. According to Wikipedia, the definition of a public space is an open, accessible area for people to congregate- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_space - aka Professor Sanchez’s definition is pretty spot on.

While public, or open space is available to all, there are basic rules that everyone is expected to follow, regardless of the fact that there is no written “law” on how to act in this space. Civil attention, restrained helpfulness, and civility towards diversity are some of those rules. When using public space, one is there to act as an individual, and therefore not expected to help others or ask for help. One may act in any way they wish, and be whoever they want, which is why one is expected to respect that others do so.
Public space serves as a positive thing for all, but just as with anything good, there always comes criticisms. Above the others, I think that it is important to note that open space is not legible, and does not help one find their way around or get a better image of their surroundings, as streets would. Open space is there for equal use from all, but it not there to be of help.

                ‎For Thursday’s class, we were assigned a video to watch called "Social life of small urban spaces.” It goes into great depth on the different factors that affect our/the view of urban spaces. The video talks about spaces which are mainly large open areas, or plazas. It was interesting to see the role of little things you don’t really notice in the city: they often times offer a large, important role. One thing the video talked about was: in many plazas, benches are more of an artwork than a bench. The video describes them as an architect’s "punctuation" on an area. The narrator suggests that these benches need to be made larger in order to promote more socializing among pedestrians. In relation to this, the link listed below talks about the concept of “architecture of control.” It uses the example of windows in a classroom: often times they are high enough that kids don’t get distracted by what’s going on outside, but low enough that the optimal light shines in. Conceptually, architects use the same concepts for benches. If there is a particular feature of the environment they want you to focus on, they place the bench accordingly http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/architectures-of-control-in-the-built-environment/. Another interesting point brought up was the stairs leading to these plazas or empty spaces. The use of longer and shorter stairs offer a welcoming entrance to a plaza, while steep climbs will likely turn people away from the plaza. These shorter and longer stairs can be especially helpful for elderly people who may have trouble walking up huge flights of stairs. Speaking of staircases… here are some pretty cool staircase designs: http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/11/22/unusual-and-creative-staircase-designs/.