Public Places: The River of Life

Jay Walljasper, writing for Shareable, has a post exploring the viral importance of public spaces:

The decline of public places represents a loss far deeper than simple nostalgia for the quiet, comfortable ways of the past. “The street, the square, the park, the market, the playground are the river of life,” explains Kathleen Madden, one of the directors of the New York-based Project for Public Spaces, which works with citizens around the world to improve their communities.

I like the analogy. Great public spaces are vital to the health and viability of great towns. They are the places for public discourse. They are the places for relaxation and friendship. They are the places for building community.

Creating great public spaces is a craft. It is certainly more than just making a space beautiful. The article closes with Jan Gehl’s 12 steps to great public spaces:

12 Steps to a Great Public Space

1. Protection from traffic


2. Protection from crime


3. Protection from the elements


4. A place to walk


5. A place to stop and stand


6. A place to sit


7. Things to see


8. Opportunities for conversations


9. Opportunities for play


10. Human-scale


11. Opportunities to enjoy good weather


12. Aesthetic quality

There was a lot of good material in the article including case studies supporting the main thesis. Give it a look.