Reading

Decided to do some reading on the importance of public spaces and found an awesome article by Project for Public Spaces Inc. 

A summary of the goodness I got:

"What defines a character of a city is it's public space"

"public spaces are an asset to a city"

"an attractive, active, well-functioning public space can jumpstart economic development in a community"

"Public spaces are a vital ingredient of successful cities"

"Every community has some sort of public space, even if it is not immediately apparent. Sometimes it is obvious - a shady park with walking paths and benches; a boulevard with sidewalks, a grand plaza surrounded by government buildings. But public space is also what we find in between private spaces, and is not always recognised or honoured as public. Back alleys, neglected courtyards, and stairways may escape our notice - but these are nonetheless among a city's most underutilised and potentially valuable assets. Because they belong to everybody, they are perceived as belonging to nobody. And yet if they are claimed, and owned, and developed, they can be harnessed to strengthen and enrich their communities."

"The placemaking process, when it is conducted with transparency and good faith from the bottom up, results in a place where the community feels ownership and engagement, and where design serves as function."

"when it comes to public spaces, the community is the expert"

"a city's best public spaces are multi-use destinations ... where citizens can find common ground"

There was a case study in Santiago, Chile that I felt related nicely to Civic Square in that their square had many many entrances also and they identified that this made it appealing to criminals and therefore not a place of safety for the public. Their redesign harnessed light to make the space feel safer and more welcoming and they changed the park design into a plaza surface to promote more public uses. They also replaced the barriers between businesses with glass panels to create a feeling of openness.

Another case study in Melbourne, Australia felt relatable as our city's operate in similar fashions, and was an exemplar of success. They developed a space that was dynamically connected to the surrounding neighbourhood, fostering street life and creating a strong sense of place.