architypes.net - Public Gathering Places

Communities consist of various private buildings and spaces, be they residences, business places or other private spaces. However, it is the public and semi-public gathering places where a community comes to life, and becomes more than just a collection of private spaces.

The best public gathering spaces will be alive with activity of people of various ages, talking, playing, people-watching, flirting, just passing through, or enjoying time alone but in the company of others.

Provide various types of gathering places for various activities, easily accessible and spread throughout the community.

These public gathering spaces can and should vary from small neighborhood courtyards or parks to large squares, public gardens and the like.

For more information, see also the Project for Public Spaces.

Endeavour to make public spaces become places of beauty.

Provide trees and plants Provide water features, such as fountains or ponds Surround and integrate public spaces with beautiful buildings Provide desirable views Pay attention to the principles of aesthetic design, espcially in the details Provide public art

People will only be drawn to public places if they are places free of significant crime.

Crime will be lowered in public places if there are people around. Provide housing in and around public places, to ensure that there is activity throughout the day and evening.

Also, ensure that adequate lighting is provided to discourage crime at night time.

A public place that is separate from the places people work, live, play, and shop do not become part of people's daily lives to the extent that they could.

Locate the other environments that people inhabit in their daily lives so that they are well connected to public places. Likewise, locate many smaller public places throughout a community so they public places and private places ...

When you want to engage people in public spaces and encourage interaction among these people, provide elements that invite people to pause for a moment.

Create objects that people can relate to so that the public place doesn't feel like just a vast open space. Make these feature that will attract people, such as water fountains or public art.

This example from Parc ...

Vehicular traffic creates noise, pollution and danger, all of which make public spaces less pleasant for pedestrians and drive them away. Also, the people traveling in vehicles are less able to interact with one another.

Instead, create places that discourage use of vehicles and instead encourage pedestrian traffic.

Where vehicular traffic must be accomodated, keep it away ...

To bring public places to life, provide the ability for people of various ages to engage in a wide variety of activities.

There should be sufficient place for people to run around, such as playgrounds for children and areas for adults to engage in exercise and sport activities.

Create spaces that will accomodate music, drama and other types of performances.

Also, ...

A public space only become a destination unto itself, rather than merely a place to pass through on the way to somewhere else, if it provides a wide variety and ample number of places for people to sit.

These seating places can include benches, picnic tables, grassed areas, steps, ledges and even public art.

Locate these seating areas so that people can view interesting ...

A public place will only come to life if there are spots for people to sit and talk with one another.

Arrange seating areas so that people can sit close and face one another.

Ensure that there is some sense of privacy offered by some of these seating areas.

Also, ensure that noise level is kept low enough in the public space to allow normal conversations.

Outdoor plublic spaces will only be most alive if they can be occupied no matter what the weather conditions.

Provide shelter from rain.

Especially in warmer climates, provide shade from the sun. In particular, locate sources of shade so that some of the spots people will occupy are shaded from mid-day to the evening.

In colder climates, provide shelter from the ...

When planning a public space, consider its scale

Public places should provide a variety of scales. This can include entirely separate public spaces of different scales, from small courtyards to large meandering parks.

Just as important, a single public space can provide areas of larger and smaller scale. At different times, different people will seek out wide-open, ...