Of these ideas, the one resonating with me is "paths that don’t go where people want to go." It's an anecdote I've told before: Those block-long gargantuan housing estates in Eastern Europe, and a bus stop invariably perfectly centered in front. The sidewalk would pass from right to left, then some distance away turn toward the building, then turn again to reach the entry doors facing the bus stop across an expanse of former grass, now worn to mud by people taking the shortest distance between two points.
Why Public Spaces Fail (Project for Public Spaces)
William H. Whyte once said, “It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people – what is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished.” Today, many public spaces seem to be intentionally designed to be looked at but not touched. They are neat, clean, and empty – as if to say, “no people, no problem!” But to us, when a public space is empty, vandalized, or used chiefly by undesirables, this is generally an indication that something is very wrong with its design, or its management, or both.
The following pairs of photographs illustrate some of the most common problems of public space ...
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