Urban Design Dimensions and Its Influence to the Vitality of Public Spaces

URBAN DESIGN DIMENSIONS AND ITS INFLUENCE TO THE VITALITY OF PUBLIC SPACES CASE STUDY: FEDERATION SQUARE MELBOURNE

Thesis By Nur Afifah Intanjudin

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE University of Newcastle

Contents List of Figures and Tables

i

Abstract 1.0 Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Background to the research

iii

1.2 Research Question, Research Aim(s) and Research Objectives 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3

Research question Research aims Research objectives

1.3 Research Scope 1.4 Significant/Justification of Research 1.5 Description of the contents of subsequent chapters 2.0 Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Public spaces 2.3 Character shift of public spaces 2.4 The vitality of public spaces 2.5 Urban Design Dimensions 2.5.1 The morphological dimension 2.5.2 The perceptual dimension 2.5.3 The social dimension 2.5.4 The visual dimension 2.5.5 The functional dimension 2.5.6 The temporal dimension 2.6 Conclusion 3.0 Chapter Three: Research Method 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research Subjects

1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3

4 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 9 10 10 11

12 12

3.4 Application of Methodology 3.4.1 Strategy 3.4.2 Case study 3.4.3 Data collection methods The morphological Dimension The perceptual Dimension The visual Dimension The social Dimension The functional Dimension The temporal Dimension

12 12 12 13 15 16 16 16 16 16

3.5 Limitations

17

3.6 Evaluation 3.7 Project timeline

4.0 Chapter Four: Discussion 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Overview of Melbourne city planning 4.3 The urban design dimension

17 18

19 19

4.3.1 Morphological dimension Street pattern Street block and plot pattern Building structures

20 20 20 21

4.3.2 Perceptual and visual dimension The visual dimension Urban space Urban architecture Facade Hard and soft landscaping The perceptual dimension

21

4.3.3 Social and functional dimension The functional dimension The social dimension Safety and security Accessibility Mix building use

27 27 28 28 29 30

4.3.4 Temporal dimension

30

21 23 23 25 25

24-hour cycle

30

Weekly cycle Monthly cycle

30 31

Yearly cycle 4.4 Stationary Activities in Federation Square 4.5 Conclusion

31 31 32

5.0 Chapter Five: Conclusion

33

Appendix

34

References

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List of figures and tables

Table 1: Summary of the urban design dimension framework Table 2: Stationary activities study at Federation Square Figure 1: conceptualisation of the relationship of vitality of public spaces and the urban design Figure 2: Diagram of research strategy in answering the research question Figure 3: Boundary of the study indicated in orange Figure 4: Melbourne city map 1855 (source: State Library of Victoria) Figure 5: Diagram of Melbourne street pattern Figure 6: current street pattern overlay with 1855 map Figure 7: Diagram of Melbourne building blocks Figure 8: Diagram of Melbourne existing city block and Federation building blocks Figure 9: diagram of principal of figure-ground reversal Figure 10: Diagram illustrating ‘convexity’ Figure 11: Diagram illustrating spatial containment Figure 12: Figure-ground reversal diagram of Federation Square Figure 13: Formal and informal spaces Figure 14: Diagrams illustrating approaches in building integration Figure 15: Juxtaposition of Federation Square to the historical context Figure 16: Federation Square elevation Figure 17: locations of Federal poems throughout the square Figure 18: Soft landscaping around Federation Square Figure 19: Aerial view of the public plaza Figure 20: Indication of paths, edges, landmarks and nodes Figure 21: Photograph of St. Paul’s Cathedral Figure 22: Photograph of Flinders Street Station i

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Figure 23: Photograph of Forum Theatre on Flinders Street Figure 24: Diagram illustrating building mass and wind environment Figure 25: Amount of seating in Federation Square Figure 26: Photograph of people using the plaza informally Figure 27: Facade grade study Figure 28: Accessibility in Federation Square Figure 29: Building use study Figure 30: Stationary activities study around Melbourne

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Abstract

This research aims to identify key principles in urban design that are the most influence to vitality of public spaces. Public spaces are part of a complex network in urban design. Within this complexity there lies a primitive need for human to have a common ground in which to interact and associate. Within this paper, the term ‘vitality’ is defined as the amount of people that populates the space at any one time. The vitality of public spaces will then be interconnected with the urban structure of the city and though this paper, key principles of urban design that contribute to vitality of public spaces will be identified. In order to give a better understanding of the phenomena, a case study will become the real-life context of this research.

In order to establish a guideline on assessing urban structure, Matthew Carmona’s framework of urban design dimensions are referred to as a driving force of this research. The framework stated that there are six important design dimension that needs to be considered; morphological dimension, perceptual dimension, social dimension, visual dimension, functional dimension and temporal dimension.

This framework will be used to observe and analyse urban structure of the chosen case study, Federation Square, Melbourne. Aerial, sectional, photographic and literature studies of Federation Square will be established to support the urban design dimensions. Observations of the urban structure will then be analysed in relation to the vitality of public space.

This study will be an analysis and summary of urban structure in relation to the case study. The most influential urban design dimensions in relation to the vitality of public space will then be identified. By identifying the key principle, it is hoped that the knowledge will become a paramount part of designing public spaces within an urban structure. It is also acknowledged that all the urban design dimensions work together as a whole in creating a vibrant city, but the identified key principles are focused in relation to Federation Square, Melbourne.

The nature of cities that ultimately begin with the laying out of plots, street patterns, buildings and land use (morphological dimension) will then give rise to other elements of urban design. Hence, it is concluded that morphological dimension of urban design is the most influential element towards the vitality of public space.

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Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Background to the Research Jane Jacobs in her study “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” has identified four principles that maintain the vitality of cities, which are mixed primary uses, small blocks, mixture of old and new buildings and the concentration of people. She synthesized the principles through participant-observation in her own neighbourhood, New York City. Her study is an “attack” (1961, p.19) on the modernist urban design principles which were popular during that time.

On the other hand, the book ‘Public Places – Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design’ (Carmona, Heath, Oc & Tiesdell, 2003). is a synthesis of the major urban design theories, including Jacobs’ principles. Through the synthesis, they have identified six dimensions into which the theories fall. It is stated that ‘the separation is for the purpose of clarity in exposition and analysis only’ and urban design is ultimately a rounded activity of all the dimensions (Carmona, et al., 2003, p.vii).

This study will take the idea of using the dimensions1 of urban design into a real-life context of Federation Square, to see if this case study does comply with the dimensions and how it contributes to the vitality of the public space. The core of this study will be to identify which key urban design dimensions have most impact to the vitality of the case study public space.

1.2 Research Question, Research Aim(s) and Research Objectives 1.2.1 Research Question 

Which urban design dimension has the most influence to the vitality of public space?

1.2.2 Research Aim(s) 

 

To examine the general urban structure of Melbourne CBD using the urban design dimension framework at a macro level To examine the design of Federation Square using the urban design dimension framework at a micro level To relate the overall urban structure of Melbourne to Federation Square Plaza

1

The urban design dimensions are used because the nature of the framework is an overall synthesis of major urban design theorists. This ensures the clarity of understanding the theories in relation to the urban structure in a systematic manner.

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

To investigate the connection between considerations in urban design to the vitality of public spaces

1.2.3 Research Objectives 

The objective of this research was to better understand the relationship between the vitality of public spaces and urban design. This research also seeks to understand the dimensions in urban design in order to give clarity in explaining the relationship.

1.3 Research Scope The scope of this research will be limited to Federation Square, particularly the public plaza and also the Melbourne CBD. This paper will also look at understanding the importance of public spaces as part of society living and also as a significant part of urban structure. Through this understanding, the urban design framework will be reviewed and used to explain the chosen case study.

1.4 Significant/Justification of Research Rationale Federation Square is the first ‘true’ civic square that the city of Melbourne ever had since the beginning of its city planning. The significance of this makes Federation Square an interesting case study for this particular research which relates urban design and the vitality of public space.

A ten year target was made by the City of Melbourne in order to attract more people to the city. The duration of these changes took place from 1994 to 2004 and within ten years, notable changes have been made to the public realm of Melbourne. These changes have been documented into a report commissioned to Jan Gehl Architects. It would be an interesting study to apply Carmona’s urban design dimension framework to the changes that have been made to the city, particularly the addition of Federation Square. The availability of comprehensive ‘before and after’ report from Jan Gehl Architects would help to simplify the investigation.

The urban design dimension which has the most influence on the vitality of public space will then be identified through this investigation.

Expected outcome The expected outcome of this study will be an analysis and summary of the urban configuration of the case studies in relation to the chosen public spaces. This paper will help future designers in understanding how the surrounding environment of the cities will affect the use of public spaces.

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These factors will then be taken into considerations when creating a public space in an existing urban context.

1.5 Description of the contents of subsequent chapters

Chapter 2: Literature review This chapter acts as guide for the paper to develop themes for discussion.

Literature on significance of public space and urban design will be reviewed. The term ‘vitality’ is also defined in this chapter. Within this chapter, introduction to urban design dimension and detailed explanation of each dimension through supporting literature is also established.

Chapter 3: Research design and method This chapter outlines the approach of this research. Detailed review on the research methods and the application of the method to the study is also explained within this chapter. Procedure of evaluating each of the dimensions is also outlined.

Chapter 4: Discussion This chapter is an observation and analysis of the Federation Square using the framework stated in the previous chapter. A better understanding on the structure of the city planning and Federation Square design and how it influences people to use the space is the central theme of this chapter.

Chapter 5: Conclusion The purpose of this final chapter is to give a conclusive synthesis of the discussion from previous chapter.

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Chapter Two: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction The chapter provides an understanding of the nature of public spaces and how it works within the urban structure of a city. Within this literature review, the term ‘vitality’ will be clarified to establish a mutual understanding of the term. An introduction to Carmona’s urban design framework and a description of each dimensions are also explained.

2.2 Public spaces Public spaces could be defined as ‘physical spaces that, in the ideal, are open to all people for the exercise of their rights’ (Childs, 2004, p.22).

Hence, public spaces are a part of the society itself where it is ‘the stage where the drama of communal life unfolds’ (Carr, Francis, Rivlin & Stone 1992, p.3). In other words, public spaces could be interpreted as domains which are accessible for everyone in a society to congregate giving a platform for interaction between people of diverse social background.

Regardless of the social and spatial composition of the urban setting, public spaces have always played a crucial role in everyday life. These spaces have been regarded as the connective tissue of a city, providing ‘access to and connections between all the functions of the city’ (Gehl, Gemzoe, Kirknaes & Sondergaard, 2006, p. 12).

Public spaces have also been regarded as the “key to urban renewal strategies” which are apparent in most urban design approaches (Hajer & Reijndorp, 2001). This means that the public spaces are one of the important factors that contribute to the rejuvenation of an urban structure.

For example, the Kuching Waterfront, Sarawak, Malaysia, which was in a state of deterioration because of the development of road network, air transportation and the changes in shipping technology during 1960’s to 1970’s. Some of the aims of this rejuvenation were to create visual linkage between the city and the waterfront, and also to preserve of historic elements.

The metamorphosis of the water front has acted as catalyst for the redevelopment of adjacent areas. Land values in the neighbourhood of the riverfront have increased… (Lang, 2005, p.102) Therefore, it could be concluded that public spaces are vital in order for continuity of urban life.

The emphasis on public spaces differs between cultures and location (Carr, Francis, Rivlin & Stone, 1992, p. 3). As an example, take Australia Square.

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The main factor that contributes to the use of the ground plane is because of the sun access to the open space. The Sydney Development plan also regulated that any new development should not overshadow Australia Square. On the other hand, in Malaysia, open public spaces needs to have shading and protection from the sun to be able to function. Different location and environmental factors affect the shaping of public spaces.

Climate is clearly one of the prime factors in culture, and therefore, the built form (Beng, T. H., 1994, p. 13) Hence, culture is also related to the environmental factors.

2.3 Character shift of public spaces It is understood that the formation of public spaces is ‘at least by two different processes’ (Carr, et al., 1992, p. 50). One is being a natural development through ‘appropriation, by repeated use in a particular way, or by the concentration of people because of an attraction’ (Carr, et al., 1992). This ‘appropriation’ can happen anywhere, such as stairs or street corners or even alleyways. On the other hand, the ‘planned public places’ emerge through urban design.

Throughout history, the use of public spaces is important in the daily existence of society, but the role and character of the public realm has changed today. During the 1800’s the public realm was a necessary part of daily life. The public realm was used mainly for work-related activities. This means, the public realm will be populated regardless of quality, because it was a work-related space, a necessity in everyday existence. Today, the public realm has gone through a shift where it is no longer a necessity for everyday life, where the activities are optional, and more recreational. This is as a result of a shift in the work-related environment from the public realm into private spaces, i.e., buildings (Gehl, Gemzoe, Kirknaes & Sondergaard, 2006, p. 12).

Considering the statements above, it could be synthesized that the public realm of a city structure has now become an optional space for the society.

A series of factors relating to the desirability of public space has to be taken into consideration in order to encourage people to use it. Therefore, providing good quality public spaces are even more compelling today than back in the 1800’s because society has a choice to be a part of the city space or otherwise.

2.4 The vitality of public spaces A simple definition of vitality from the Oxford dictionary is ‘the state of being strong and active’. Vitality in terms of urban spaces could also be described as:

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It [vitality] refers to the numbers of people in and around the street (pedestrian flows) across different times of the day and night, the uptake of facilities, the number of cultural events and celebrations over the year, the presence of an active street life, and generally the extent to which a place feels alive or lively.

(Montgomery, 2008, p. 271) The excerpt above refers to vitality in the wider urban context, which includes streets and, buildings as well as public spaces. It could be concluded from Montgomery’s urban vitality concept that vitality refers to the density level or liveliness of the city space. This liveliness is a result of several influences such as the provision of facilities, events occurring in the area, activities being held, the desirability as well as the mixed-use nature of the spaces. Applying this concept to the research topic at hand, the vitality of public spaces could be described as the amount of people that populates the space and the liveliness of the spaces at any particular time.

2.5 Urban Design Dimensions There are many ways in which an urban setting can be analysed such as visual, perceptual, or social perspectives and so forth. For example, Krier (1979), defined that urban space is ‘all types of space between buildings’ and this ‘space’ will ‘consciously be perceived as urban space’ when there is ‘clear legibility of its geometrical characteristics and aesthetic qualities’.

Through this definition, Krier’s concept of urban setting leans more towards physical structure.

On the other hand, Lynch’s (1960) approach is by analysing the physical environment to obtain the perceptual structure of an urban space. He defined several physical elements that constitute the legibility and imageability of a city. Hence, Lynch’s theory of urban structure is based on the society’s mental image of their city.

Another perspective focuses on the human dimensions in creating public spaces (Carr, et al., 1992, p. 85). The human dimensions are ‘needs, rights and meaning’. This dimension focuses on ‘the interaction of peoples and places and how this affects the ways settings function’.

In order to create a comprehensive understanding of the urban structure, it would be a practical approach to combine all the areas in analysing urban structure into a unified framework. Carmona had organised and analysed information on urban design and combined the synthesis into an interconnected framework (Carmona’s urban design dimension framework will be referred to ‘the framework’).

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Hawkes’ (2003) commented that the intention of Carmona is to ‘collect and organize an enormous volume of information, of history, theory and practice, that defines, describes, and informs the nature and processes that currently constitute the field of urban design’ (p.34) He agreed that theis theory is ‘applied effectively’, and does demonstrate the ‘inherent complexity of the material with clarity’ (p.34). He also acknowledge that Carmona et al.’s work is ‘objective, descriptive and analytical’, making it a useful tool for practitioners. Although Carmonaet al.’s theory is acceptable, Hawkes also stated that there are ‘more dimensions that defy the calm logic and systemization of this approach’. He was referring to deeper and abstract insights of the city such as the ‘dimensions of life’ (p.35).

As discussed above, the dimensions which will become the main framework of this study is adequately practical to understand a city structure with clarity. Although it is stated that there are other dimension of an urban setting, this study has already outlined their limitations.

The dimension of urban design could be categorized into six distinct elements, which are morphological, perceptual, social, visual, functional and temporal (Carmona et al. , 2003, p. vii). These dimensions (figure 1.) will help in placing the case studies into an urban context and understanding how the dimensions have an effect on the vitality of the public spaces.

The fast paced urbanizing of cities requires that clear guideline is needed to ensure the consistency of the design value. Hence, public spaces within an urban setting also requires careful analysis in order for us to design public spaces that are in societal solidarity rather than being fragmented as a result of privatisation of activities.

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Figure 1: conceptualisation of the relationship of vitality of public spaces and the urban design

2.5.1 The morphological dimension Morphology could bluntly be translated as the ‘study of the forms of things, in particular’. Applying this to urban design, the morphology dimension is ‘a study of the form and shape of settlements’ (Carmona, et al., 2003, p. 61).

Within this dimension, further divisions of urban physical form are established.

One example of the morphological dimension that Jacobs (1992) mentioned in her book is the importance of small blocks in a city. The logic in having small blocks is that there will be more opportunities for street intersections, creating a more permeable city (Jacobs, 1992, p. 178). Hence, the city is more accessible for exploration by people, leading to the activation of public spaces.

It can then be concluded that the shape and form of the city could indirectly influence how people move and behave towards their environment. In turn, this will affect the use of spaces throughout the urban setting.

2.5.2 The perceptual dimension According to the Oxford English Dictionary, perceptual is defined as ‘the process of becoming aware of physical objects, phenomena, etc., through the senses’. The perceptual dimensions in urban design, on the other hand, ‘embraces the images, experiences and meanings that people attach to the built environment’ (Punter & Carmona, 1997, p. 151). In his book, Carmona et al. stated that (Carmona et al., 2003, p. 87), the perceptual dimension of urban design explores ‘how people perceive environments and experience places’ and there are ‘two main parts which is the environmental 8

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perception and the construction of place’. Lynch (1960) stated that ‘every citizen has had long associations with some part of his city, and his image is soaked in memories and meanings’ (p. 1). Lynch has outlined five aspects of mental image of a city structure which are paths, edges, nodes, districts and landmarks.

Hence, the perceptual dimension concerns a more subjective element of urban design, which is the interpretation of the urban space in the mind of the society populating it. The perceptual dimension in this case could be defined as how these public spaces represent itself as a symbol or an image to the city and its people by ways of legibility and identity.

Lynch (1960) had defined ‘legibility’ as being ‘the ease with which its [the city] parts can be recognized and can be organized into coherent pattern’ (p.2). Hence, a legible city will have districts or landmarks or pathways which are ‘easily identifiable’ to the society.

2.5.3 The social dimension The word ‘social’ is defined as ‘of life or a way of living: characterized by association in groups or communities’ (Oxford English Dictionary).

Accordingly, the aspect of social dimension in urban design is in regard to the ‘relationship of the space and the social/urban experience’ (Carmona et al., 2007, p.141). Carmona et al. also stated that ‘the physical environment has a determining influence on human behaviour’. Hence, urban design can be viewed as a tool for manipulating the outcome of human behaviour within its context. This indicates that an urban space will need to fulfil basic human needs to increase the probability of people using it.

Jacobs discussed the aspect of mixed-use activities. She agreed that a successful city streets, there must be a constant traffic of people at different times of the day. In order to achieve this, the district must have a mix of primary functions to attract people using the public realm of the city in different schedules and purposes (Jacobs, 1992, p. 152).

Referring to the excerpt above, it is evident that by designing an environment with varying activities will also ensure the vitality of the area.

This proves how design of the city influences the patterns of human activities.

2.5.4 The visual dimension Adversely, the visual dimension is purely focused on the aesthetic of the space. Ultimately, a city is perceived by the ‘faculty of sight, for it is almost entirely through vision that the environment is apprehended’ (Cullen, 1995, p. 8). The visual dimension can be divided into a few categories which are bulk, appearance, scale, massing, style, development size and amenity (Carmona et al., 2003, p.60).

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Cullen (1996) talked about the visual aspect of the city in terms of serial vision. He stated that the language between buildings and the surrounding is an ‘art of relationship’ itself just as a singular building is appreciated as an art of architecture. Therefore, a city can be enjoyed visually when all the elements such as nature, buildings, traffic and so on are weaved together ‘in such a way that drama is released’. The visual experience of a city can be considered as ‘serial vision’ as a result of human movement. Hence, a visually successful city will have a dynamic tapestry of elements that can invoke the sense of curiosity and promotes people to explore the city further.

2.5.5 The functional dimension The functional dimension in urban design involves ‘how places work and how designers can make “better” places’. A functional space will be ‘able to serve the need of the users’ (Carmona et al., 2003, p. 165). Again quoting Carmona et al, from his book, the ‘five primary needs people seek: comfort, relaxation, passive engagement with environment, active engagement with environment and discovery’.

There are two segments of the functional dimension; one is ‘social usage’ which involves the relationship between people and the functioning of the environment, secondly is the ‘visual’ tradition which involves technical criteria such as traffic flow, access and circulation (Carmona et al., 2007, p.165).

In conclusion, the functional dimension relates to the design considerations that have been implemented to create an environment which is conducive to the everyday life of society. This could be in the form of infrastructure, environmental considerations, safety measures and so forth.

2.5.6 The temporal dimension Lastly, the urban design also concerns itself with dimension of time. Time in its essence is the continued progress of existence and will continue moving forward. In his book, Carmona et al. stated that urban design exists not only in three-dimensional space but also with time as the ‘fourth dimension’.

The temporal dimension consists of three key aspects which are the time cycle, continuity and stability as well as change (Carmona et al., 2003, p.

193).The vitality of public spaces should also withstand the test of time. In order to achieve this, the spaces have to be flexible and able to accommodate the changing needs of society.

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An example of the framework’s application The use of Carmona et al.’s framework is evident in the ‘Your Development’ organization. This is a collaboration between CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) if the Australian Government. The organization aims to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel within a neighbourhood via sustainable urban development. One of the subtopics in the sustainable development plan is the creation of ‘Successful Public Spaces’. The framework in which to create successful public spaces is referred to in Carmona et al.’s urban design dimensions. The key principles of public spaces are outlined according to New Zealand’s Urban Design Protocol (2005) ‘7C’s’ concept which are context, character, choice, connections, creativity, custodianship and collaboration. Carmona et al.’s framework is used to relate with the principles. Each of the dimensions is viewed in an environmental perspective of energy consumption. As an example; the morphological dimension such as settlement pattern has a large impact on energy consumption (Daffara, 2008).

2.6 Conclusion This literature review has provided sufficient evidence that successful public space correlate with considerations in urban design because public space is a major part of society’s life. According to the literature reviews, it is apparent that urban design can be broken down into main themes, which made it easier to understand s structure of the city. These themes can also be applied in a macro or micro level, to a whole city, or a particular building block. However, very little study has actually applied the framework to an actual case study, hence it is an opportunity for this research paper to utilise it in a case study.

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Chapter Three: Research Method

3.1 Introduction This chapter describes the research subjects, methods in which the study will be conducted and the application of the methods to the research subject. General strategy of data collection of each urban dimension, limitations of the study and project timeline is also outlined.

3.2 Research Subjects This paper will focus on studying Federation Square, particularly the public plaza in context with city planning of Melbourne. Detailed observation will mainly be done on Federation Square and the areas immediately surrounding it. The core theme of this research will be based on Carmona et al.’s urban design dimension. Hence, plans, photographs and drawings of the case study will be analysed with reference to the urban design framework and literature.

3.4 Application of Methodology In addressing the question of how urban structure contributes to the vitality of public spaces, qualitative research method will be used to conduct the data collection of this study. The research question seeks to identify the key urban design dimensions that contribute most to the vitality of public spaces.

3.4.1 Strategy The main qualitative strategy of this study will be to use a case study. As defined by Groat and Wang (2002), astudy is ‘an empirical inquiry that investigates a phenomenon or setting’. Hence, the research question calls for a real-life context understanding of urban structure in relation to the use of public spaces. By placing the question into a real context, a deeper understanding of urban structure and how people are populating it can be better realized.

3.4.2 Case study The city of Melbourne has lacked a ‘real’ public square since the beginning of its city planning. The need for a civic square for Melbourne has been a topic of discussion since the 1850’s: ...anonymous critic of 1850 pointed out in criticising the lack of an open square – ‘one of the first requirements of a town’... (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.1)

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Numerous proposals to design a solution for a proper civic square for Melbourne went back as early as 1920’s and stretched to 1996 when a competition design brief for Federation Square was established (BrownMay & Day, 2003, p.22). Lab Architecture studio won the competition, hence the beginning of the present day Federation Square.

It could be understood that Federation Square is ultimately the answer to the long search for a civic square for Melbourne, making it historically significant. Therefore, Federation Square would make an interesting case study in which to apply the urban design dimension framework and then analyse it.

3.4.3 Data collection methods Yin (2003), had identified six commonly used sources of evidence or data collection within the case study strategy. These are documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observations, participant-observation and physical artifacts. Of relevance to this study, two of the six method of data collection will be used, archival records and direct observations.

In 1994, the City of Melbourne commissioned Gehl Architects to conduct an in depth publication2 of ‘quantity and types of activity occurring in the city’s public space’ and sets a ten year target for attracting more people to the city. This publication will become an archival record3 for data collection of this case study.

Secondly, Yin had stated that ‘some relevant behaviours or environmental conditions will be available for observation’ through field visits (2003, p.92).

He had also expressed that ‘...observations of a neighbourhood or of an organizational unit add new dimensions for understanding either the context or the phenomenon being studied’. In order to adapt the method of direct observation to this study, the site visit will be purely used to observe the architectural and urban structure value of Melbourne. Another observation could examine the way that people are using the spaces.

Photographs from the site visit will become evidence in describing the urban structure.

Thus, any finding or conclusion in a case study is likely to be much more convincing and accurate if it is based on several different sources of information... (Yin, 2003, p.98)

2

“Places for People: Melbourne 2004” has established benchmarks which allow Melbourne to measure its progress. As a continuation of this publication, another survey was conducted in the year 2004, analysing Melbourne city using similar methods. Through this literal method application, the publication has been able to establish the urban changes that occurred within the 10 years and how it affects the number of people using the public spaces.

3 According to Yin (2003,) “archival records – often take the form of computer files and records”. One of the examples of archival records that he stated is “survey data, such as census records or data previously collected about a “site”.

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From the excerpt above, Yin recommends the evaluation of data through the triangulation of multiple sources in order to give a more valid conclusion or argument.

As a guideline for understanding urban structure, Carmona et al.’s urban design dimensions will be the backbone of the study. The reason for relying heavily on Carmona et al.’s dimensions is because he organised and analysed theories from respectable theorists on urban design and combined the synthesis into an interconnected framework. Through his framework, this study hopes to understand urban structure in an organized manner.

In order to give depth to the framework, this study will also examine secondary sources of the original literature from urban theorists in which Carmona have also referred to such as Jacobs, Gehl, Krier, Lynch and so forth4. Again, this allows for triangulation of data collected, making the information gathered more reliable.

Another key area of triangulation that needs to be done is the case study itself. Information on Federation Square from different sources will be studied and summarized. The main scope of triangulation for the case study is literature by the architects themselves as well as critiques. Newspaper articles on the case study may also be used to get a picture of public opinion. Self-observation is also used to analyse the case study as part of the triangulation method.

The changes in urban structure of Melbourne that have been made within 10 years will then be cross-referenced to Carmona et al.’s urban design dimensions. By cross-referencing the changes made by City of Melbourne and Carmona et al.’s dimensions, an organized view of urban structure could be established. Then, the dimensions will be linked to the vitality of Federation Square and the analysis of key dimension will be distinguished.

4

“Urban Design Reader” by Matthew Carmona & Steve Tiesdell have a compilation of essential readings of urban design texts from major urban design theorists in relation to the design dimensions outlined by Carmona et al. The original source of the texts will be used to ensure the validity of interpretations.

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TYPES OF SOURCES

PRIMARY

Photograph

Archival records

SECONDARY

Direct observation

Published literatures Observation & categorization

Urban design dimension (Framework) Application Case study

Analysis Identification of key dimension

Figure 2: Diagram of research strategy in answering the research question

Each of the design dimensions will have a specific method of data collection: The morphological Dimension  A plan diagram of the city will be established with reference to the Nolli’s Map concept in order to give an understanding of city massing and voids  A plan diagram of structure of Federation Square will also be studied

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The perceptual Dimension  Aerial and photographic analysis will be done to understand the ‘urban imagery’ of the case study. This will be tied in with the visual dimension.

The visual Dimension  Photographs and diagrams will be analyzed in order to understand the case study visually. Elements such as facade, scale, architecture and materials will be examined. This is tied in with the perceptual dimension The social Dimension  This concerns the activities that occur in the public space, particularly social activities. Photographs of amenities and structures that encourage social activities to occur will be analysed.

The functional Dimension  Photographs will be studied to observe the provision of infrastructures that makes the spaces functional.  Plan and sections will be used to observe the environmental consideration of the design.  Both social and functional dimension are interrelated.

The temporal Dimension  A study of building use and events in the development in terms of time cycle

Morphological Street pattern Block pattern Building

Perceptual Path Edge District Nodes Landmarks

Visual Urban space Urban architecture

Urban Design dimension Functional

Social

Comfort Relaxation Passive engagement Active engagement Discovery

Safety and security Accessibility Mix building use

Temporal Time cycle 24-hours Weekly Monthly Yearly

Table 1: Summary of the urban design dimension framework

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3.5 Limitations The scope of this study will be limited to the case study that has been chosen. In studying the urban structure, the area being studied is confined within the Central City of Melbourne bounded by Spencer Street, Spring Street and the Yarra north bank to the north, and the area of Southbank bounded by Clarendon Street, Whiteman and Power Streets, Grant Street and St. Kilda Road5. More detailed observations will only be centred at Federation Square and areas that is immediately surrounding it.

Although this study is solely focused on the built environment and does not include any underlying political issues surrounding Federation Square or the city itself, it will provide an understanding of the design of Federation Square in relation to how it influences people using it.

Figure 3: Boundary of the study indicated in orange. Taken from ‘Places for People: Melbourne 2004’

3.6 Evaluation Once all the data regarding the case study have been collected, these data will then be analysed according to the related urban design dimensions.

Following this observation and categorization, the data will then be applied 5

This scope of study is in line with the Places for People: Melbourne 2004 report to ensure the availability and viability of the source to this study

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to the case study. Consequently, the analysis of the observations will be done to answer the research question. Progress of the analysis will be submitted weekly to the supervisor for feedback.

Feedback process Throughout the duration of this study, a two-way communication between student and supervisor is crucial to guide the direction of this research.

Drafts and proposals are submitted to the supervisor and feedback on these submissions will be given to further develop the study. This is an ongoing process; hence information and details within the study will be subjected to be further developed according to feedback given.

According to the previous feedback given for this thesis, the supervisor suggests looking back into the choice of using multiple case studies that was previously proposed. This calls for a reading on literatures regarding case study research strategy. Through this feedback process, the most appropriate strategy is to use single case study and understanding it more extensively rather than using two case studies and giving an overall understanding. Justification of choosing the particular case study as well as the criteria also needs to be made apparent.

Another feedback that was given is to fully realize the potential of this research through more critical evaluation. After identifying the urban structure and how it contributes to the vitality of public spaces, it might be rewarding to identify the most influential urban design principles that have the effect on the use of public spaces.

3.7 Project timeline An indicative project timeline is established to give an idea of how the research strategy will be realized within the timeframe that was given. The Gantt chart (Appendix 1) illustrates the progress starting from the submission of research proposal to the final dissertation submission. It is to be noted that the Gantt chart is just an indication and the actual time that each process requires will vary throughout the semester due to weekly feedback process and amendments made accordingly.

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Chapter Four: Discussion 4.1 Introduction This chapter briefly studies the city planning of Melbourne as a whole and will focus on the development of Federation Square using the framework.

Design considerations of Federation Square are analysed and will relate to the usage of the public plaza. The synthesis from this chapter is mostly through understanding of the literature and through personal observations.

4.2 Overview of Melbourne city planning The city planning of Melbourne had been laid out by surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1837. He planned the city in a grid pattern with ninety-nine feet wide main streets and narrower thirty-three feet wide secondary streets.

The city grid remains intact up until today although in order to accommodate the growth of Melbourne, the Council had to gradually buy back four feet of land on each side of the secondary streets in order to reduce congestion (The History of the City of Melbourne, 1997, p.11).

Referring to the street pattern map (Figure 5.), Melbourne’s street layout is characterised as ‘ideal’ grids6 due to the geometric regularity of its planning. Melbourne has a fine urban grain7 in which the building blocks are relatively small and numerous, allowing better accessibility throughout the public realm. The street system offers good permeability because of the finely weaved grids that connects with each other eliminating dead ends.

Figure 4: Melbourne city map 1855 (source: State Library of Victoria)

Figure 5: Melbourne street pattern

By observing the overlaid 1855 city map and the current street pattern (Figure 6.), it is evident that the street blocks8 of Melbourne has not undergone any major changes in structure. The individual plots may have been amalgamated but the blocks remain intact. This indicates stability and continuity of Melbourne’s urban fabric through time.

Brown-May and Day (2003, p.39), stated that the city grid ‘has served the city well for over 150 years and also contributed to the... belief that Melbourne is a well-designed and well-planned city’.

6

Carmona et al. (2003, p. 65) stated that there are basic distinction in street patterns which are “regular or ‘ideal’ grids characterized by geometric regularity and organic or ‘deformed’ grids characterized by apparent irregularity”.

7 Fine urban grain refers to street patterns that has many small sized street blocks as opposed to course urban grain where there are fewer but larger blocks (Carmona, 2003 p.64) 8 Street blocks as defined by Conzen (1960, p.5) refers to “areas within the town plan unoccupied by streets and bounded wholly or in part by street lines”. Each of the street blocks represents either single land plot or several plots.

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Figure 6: current street pattern overlay with 1855 map

Figure 7: Melbourne building blocks

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4.3 The urban design dimension

4.3.1 Morphological dimension As defined in Chapter 2, morphological dimension of urban design is to do with “the form and shape of settlements” (Carmona, 2003, p. 61). There are several key elements within urban morphology that has been identified

by Conzen (1960, p.5), which are streets, plots and buildings. The urban morphology of city of Melbourne have been discussed earlier, therefore, this topic will apply the same concept to a smaller scale which is the Federation Square development.

Street pattern Carmona (2003, p. 64) stated that ‘an important urban design quality established by the cadastral pattern is that of “permeability”9- meaning the extent to which an environment allows a choice of routes both through and within it’. In other words, he refers to the ‘accessibility’ of the urban environment to individuals where there are numerous choices of routes in getting to a destination, creating a journey as opposed to just ‘getting there’.

Due to the good permeability of the Melbourne’s street system, it is easy for public to make their way towards any point in the city. Hence, the street pattern of Melbourne city itself facilitates the pedestrian movement towards the case study site. Moreover, Swanston Street is one of the main arteries of the city and is considered as the central retail core of the city.

Street block and plot pattern Street blocks as defined by Conzen (1960, p.5) refers to ‘areas within the town plan unoccupied by streets and bounded wholly or in part by street lines’. Each of the street blocks represents either single land plot or several plots.

The design of Federation Square took into consideration of the size of existing urban block and reinterprets it into a contemporary plot pattern The arrangement of buildings is also inspired by the existing plot patterns of laneways and permeability (Figure 8). The square is accessible from Flinders and Swanston Street, River Terrace and Federation Wharf, as well as Russell Street. This allows for pedestrians walking along the perimeter of Federation Square to gain access from different points, hence, giving the freedom of choice to individuals in experiencing their journey. The most notable access to the public plaza is through The Atrium which celebrates the journey with intricate glass facade.

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Permeability can be classified into two which are ‘visual’ and ‘physical’. “’Visual’ permeability refers to the ability to see the routes through an environment, while ‘physical’ permeability refers to the ability to move through an environment.”

(Carmona, 2003 p.64)

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Figure 8: Melbourne existing city block (above) and Federation building blocks (below)

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Building structures Although Federation Square is located within similar block size as the traditional blocks, the arrangement of buildings is different. The building line of traditional plots is perpendicular to the street, defining the street edge. On the other hand, buildings on Federation Square are organized in an irregular fashion, where the buildings “open at all angles into the city fabric, so they allow passage... connecting the Square’s functional spaces to transport stations, laneways, the main civic road of Melbourne and its river” (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.33).

Through observation of Federation Square’s massing (fig xx), the buildings in Federation Square are arranged in a distorted U-shape, giving enclosure to the plaza from three sides and spilled out to the street on one side. This gives a sense of hierarchy to the plaza where it began as a highly loose open space and progresses to an intimate tighter open space.

It is important to acknowledge that the initial considerations that have been made in designing the building massing will correspond with other urban design dimensions such as visual, functional, social and so forth.

4.3.1 Perceptual and visual dimension Perception exists through stimulation of our senses, particularly visual.

Carmona (2003, p.130) stated that ‘visual appreciation of urban environments is also a product of perception and cognition’. Hence, it is inevitable that both visual and perceptual dimension of urban design is actually two sides of a single coin. Through vision, one will became aware of objects, experience it and later perceive it. This topic will observe the design of Federation Square visually and perceptually.

The visual dimension Urban space Outdoor spaces can be categorized into two which are ‘positive’ and ‘negative’. Positive spaces are spaces which are ‘relatively enclosed’ with definite and distinctive shape which is easily understood. On the other hand, a ‘negative’ space is ‘shapeless’, a result of the ‘amorphous residue left over around buildings’.

Positive space relates to the sense of spatial containment. Therefore, plan arrangement of buildings is paramount in creating a degree of ‘enclosure’ to the outdoor space. According to Carmona et al., ‘the difference between “positive” and “negative” outdoor spaces can also be considered in terms of their “convexity”10’ (Figure 8.).

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Convex space refers to space which when a line joining any two points inside the space lies totally within the space, making it positive (Carmona et al., 2003, p.138).

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Figure 9: diagram of principal of figure-ground reversal. It is impossible to imagine the figure as outdoor space and the vase as the building.

Hence, the outdoor space is ‘negative’ ‘positive’ outdoor space can be identified when figureground reversal is possible (source: Carmona et al., 2003, p.138)

Figure 10: Diagram illustrating ‘convexity’.

Space on the left is positive while the right is negative (source: Carmona et al., 2003, p.138)

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Figure 11 illustrates the principles of spatial containment and enclosure.

Although the sense of enclosure within an urban is argued to be more preferred by society, Carmona et al., stated that ‘a balance must also be struck between achieving enclosure, and considerations such as permeability and legibility, which importantly influence how well the space is used’ (p.141).

The figure-ground reversal of Federation Square (figure 12.) clearly shows that the top part (in relation to the position of the figure) of the development is concentrated in black while the lower part is predominantly white, it is almost like an inversion of positive and negative between the two areas. The plaza begins as an amorphous space and further into the development the plaza begins to be more definite and distinctive in shape.

This creates a sense of movement to the development. One begins to enter the site in a ‘loose’ space where the buildings are sparse and as they progress further, the buildings begin to ‘move in’ towards them. In other words, the plaza is a mix of both positive and negative spaces.

Figure 11: Diagram illustrating spatial containment (Booth, 1983)

Figure 12: Figure-ground reversal diagram of Federation Square

Figure 13: Formal and informal spaces (source: Carmona, 2003)

There are two types of urban spaces which are ‘informal’ and ‘formal’11 (figure 13.). Informal public space is described as to have a more relaxed character and asymmetrical layout. Based on the figure, Federation Square can be categorized as an informal spaces and buildings. It is the intention of the designer to veer away from the ‘traditional formality’ of the public square and to create ‘series of interlocking, shattered and strewn places’ (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.33).

Lab architecture studio stated that the geometry of the public plaza ‘allows for a vast array of configurations and arrangements, from the largest scale public gathering of up to 15,000 people to intimate sites of relaxation and contemplation’ (p.65).

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Formal space have a strong sense of enclosure; orderly floorscape and arrangement of street furniture; surrounding buildings that enhance the formality and often symmetrical layout.

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Urban architecture Urban architecture refers to the ‘visual-aesthetic’ of the urban environment. The visual-aesthetic quality of an urban environment not only derived from ‘spatial qualities, but also from colour, texture and detailing of its defining surfaces’ (Carmona et al., 2003 p.149). Therefore, this section will concentrate on the design and materiality of facade, as well as hard and soft landscaping of Federation Square.

Facade There are six criteria that the Royal Fine Art Commission (RFAC) has outlined in attempt to understand what makes a ‘good building’ (Cantacuzino, 1994). 

Order and unity – balance, symmetry, repetition, grid, etc.



Expression – building expression relates to its function



Integrity – the building is true to its design principles



Plan and section– honest relationship between facade and its plan and section12



Detail– visual richness (complexity) and elegance(proportions) of facade



Integration– harmonisation of a building with its surrounding

A quote from peter Davidson of Lab architecture studio regarding the concept of Federation Square gave an overview of their design intention.

It’s about independent identities that come together to form a larger whole. It’s about really something that centres around coherence and difference. Differences about individual entities, coherence about the whole they form (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.32) Within the statement above, there are reference to how the designers approach order and unity where each entity is different but could be understood as a cohesive whole.

The first impression when looking at the facade of Federation Square is the complexity of the details. The facade design was inspired by the Sydney Opera House’s roof, which used two types of tiles, glazed and matt, creating a visual effect when the sun is reflected upon it. The designers of Federation Square wish to create this visual impact by using three materials for the facade, zinc sandstone and glass. These materials are then cut into 12

‘instances where this relation *façade and its plan and section+ is false or weak are usually known as facadism, displayed where there is a functional and structural ‘dishonesty’ between a building’s interior and exterior or where there is a new building behind a retained historic façade’ (Carmona et al., 2003, p.151)

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repetitive triangles and arranged in a complex three dimensional ‘abstract sculpture’ (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.74). The intricacy of the facade contributes to the visual richness of the development.

The facade lacks any traditional order and symmetry but the repetition and breaking up of the elements with solids and voids create a sense of balance within the chaos. In terms of building expression, the whole development reads as a whole, where singular identity and function of each building within the development is not apparent, except for the fully glazed Melbourne Visitor’s Centre. Despite the intention of the architects in creating site coherence while ensuring each building was different, it seems that the functions of the buildings are drowned by the complex facade.

Nevertheless, the facade gives a sense of curiosity and encourages people to explore and discover the development where the function of each building reveals itself as one enters it. The facade is indeed true to the plan and section where the geometry of both walls and ceiling of the interior corresponds to the fractured elevation.

Carmona et al., stated that integration or fitting in does not necessarily mean architectural style, but actually refers more to ‘visual criteria such as scale and rhythm’ (2003, p.154). It was also stated that there are ‘three basic approaches to creating harmony with the existing context’:

uniformity

continuity

juxtaposition

Figure 14: Diagrams illustrating approaches in building integration

Referring to the description, federation square could be considered as juxtaposition of a new development within a historical context (figure 14.), similarly to the Glass Pyramid at Le Louvre, Paris, France. This approach will usually create a public commotion and interpretation of the design.

Figure 15: Juxtaposition of Federation Square to the historical context

...there are suggestions of the ‘rubbish pile’, a Disneyesque ‘Strange World’, deflated German Expressionism... (Brown-May & Day, 2003, p.36) Although it may seem that Federation Square is an alien of a building in the historical context of the site, the building height of the development is to scale with the surrounding buildings. It may overpower other buildings in 24

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terms of its architectural expression, but the development counters this in terms of building scale. Figure 16 demonstrate the elevation of Federation Square to the surrounding context, and it is evident that the surroundings are not totally overwhelmed. From this elevation, it is evident that St. Paul’s cathedral still holds most powerful urban image.

Figure 16: Federation Square elevation (source: Brown-May & Day, 2003) Hard and soft landscaping Similarly to the facade, the floorscape of the public plaza is treated as a display of massive artwork. The pattern is laid out as an artwork, Nearamnew13, by Paul Carter. Sandstone cobbles of varying colours are used to create a tapestry of ‘visual topography’ for the square. Words from ‘federal poems’ were carved into the sandstone in a fragmented manner to create an enigmatic quality as a whole (figure 17).

The artwork that has been integrated with the floorscape gives an opportunity for public engagement. These texts, which are fragmented creates a sense of curiosity, hence people will stop and read them.

Therefore, people will spend longer time in the public square.

Figure 17: locations of federal poems throughout the square

There are a few soft landscaping within the public plaza (figure 18).

These landscaping is not a significant part of the design but the presence of green elements within the public square’ humanise’ the space.

Figure 18: Soft landscaping around Federation Square

Figure 19: Aerial view of the public plaza (source: BrownMay & Day, 2003)

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‘Nearamnew derived from the Aboriginal word ‘narr-m’, which signifies ‘the place where Melbourne now stands’. It celebrates the emergence of a new space, and brings together ideas of histories and patters that are part of the place(BrownMay & Day, 2003, p.71)

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The perceptual dimension Referring to Chapter 2, the perceptual dimension is about the legibility and imageability of the city to society. Hence, this topic will mainly discuss the location of Federation Square and how the surrounding physical attributes contributes to the vitality of the public plaza. Lynch (1960, p.47) stated that legibility and imageability is derived from physical attributes of a city and he derived five key physical elements: 

Paths– streets, transit lines, canals



Edges– shores, river, walls, edges of development



Districts–medium to large sections of the city with ‘thematic continuities’



Nodes– junctions, high level of concentration



Landmarks– point reference: towers, sculptures, signs

Nodes Landmark Paths Edges Figure 20: indication of paths, edges, landmarks and nodes

Relating to the five physical elements above, it could be observed that the location of Federation Square has all of the five elements. Flinders, Swanston and St Kilda Road are all major paths of the city. Along these paths, there are numerous significant buildings and structures that strengthen the urban perception, making the paths as the main choice of movement. Hence, people would naturally move along these paths and will be led to the location of Federation Square.

Edges are important attribute in the perceptual dimension because it is an important part of ‘organising feature’14 of a city. Federation Square is also located next to the edge of the Yarra river. Carmona et al. (2003), stated that ‘the strongest edges are visually prominent’ and ‘water forms an important edge’ for cities (p.90). Another important characteristic of water 14

Most cities has very clear identified edges such as rivers, and the organization of the city structure is with reference to the river

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Figure 21: Photograph of St. Paul’s Cathedral

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is that people are naturally drawn to it. Moreover, the developments along Yarra River attract more pedestrian to the area.

The area of Federation Square could be considered as a historical district.

This is because of the numerous historical structures listed in the Victorian Heritage List, are located nearby. It could also be considered as a touristic district because of the same reason as well.

It is apparent that Federation Square is situated at a major node of the city.

Firstly, it is located directly opposite the Flinders Train Station as well as tram stops. Secondly, the development is situated at a major street junction of Flinders and Swanston Street where major pedestrian movement occurs. Carmona et al. (2003) stated that ‘junctions and changes of travel mode make nodes more significant’ (p.90). The visual richness of the buildings around the area makes the node even more ‘memorable’.

The same historical structures discussed above also acts as landmarks which people associate as reference points of the city. This is especially true for St. Paul’s Cathedral where the church spires towers above other buildings around the area. Hence, the location of Federation Square allows for natural way-finding for the public because of the numerous point references. Presently, Federation Square is also considered as a major landmark of the city of Melbourne. These physical attributes when considered as a whole creates a distinct urban image and significance to the public.

Figure 22: Photograph of Flinders Street Station (source: State Library Victoria)

Figure 23: Photograph of Forum Theatre on Flinders Street

4.3.3 Social and functional dimension In order for social activities to occur, an urban space has to be functional.

Hence, both social and functional dimension are inter-related. This topic observes how the design of Federation Square encourages social activities or public life to occur.

The functional dimension For the purpose of this study, the functional dimension refers to design considerations that serve the needs of users. Carmona et al. (2003, p.165168) have outlined five primary needs of users: 

Comfort– environmental, physical and psychological



Relaxation– body and mind at ease



Passive engagement– to observe social interaction



Active engagement– being a part of social interaction



Discovery– variety and change

The massing of the buildings around Federation Square do contribute to the environmental comfort for the public square. Referring to Figure 24, it is evident that the breaking up of the building massing with voids do create a comfortable wind environment for the square. The openness of the 27

Figure 24: Diagram illustrating building mass and wind environment (source: Carmona et al. 2003)

Figure 25: Amount of seating in Federation Square (source: Places for People: Melbourne 2004)

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square allows for natural lighting to occur throughout the day, while umbrellas and trees are provided to give needed shade for the public.

These positive ambience will lead to physical and psychological comfort for users.

Sense of relaxation can be achieved through ‘trees, greenery, water features – and seperation from vehicular traffic’ (Carmona et al., 2003, p.166). Through observation, there are only a few trees scattered around the public plaza, and the role is quite insignificant. Nevertheless, the existence of the trees around the plaza do ease the harsh starkness of the plaza. The design of the plaza also provides inclusion as well as seperation from surrounding traffic, depending on the location of the user (refer to the visual dimension).

Numerous informal seating areas around the plaza allow users to observe the surrounding activities without being directly engaged with it. On the other hand, various elements, such as FedTV and the floorscape of the plaza itself encourage active engagement between users.

Figure 26: Photograph of people using the plaza informally

Programs and animation of the plaza contributes to the discovery factor of the human needs. These activities activate the plaza by creating new spectacle for the public to enjoy. Details and discussion of events and activities will be discussed in the temporal dimension section.

The social dimension Carmona et al. (2003, p.107), stated that ‘urban design can be seen as a means of manipulating the probabilities of certain actions or behaviours occurring’. There are several factors that need to be considered in order to encourage positive social usage of public spaces. One of them is as previously discussed which is the functional element of the space. This topic observes other factors such as safety and security, accessibility and building use.

Safety and security A whole-of-city measure has been applied by the City of Melbourne in order to improve safety and security in the public realm. One of the main initiatives is the lighting strategy, where places which are attractive during the day, will also be safe and engaging after dark. This is true for Federation Square where there are numerous lights scattered above the public plaza.

As discussed earlier, active frontages in Federation Square also provides a sense of security to pedestrian, thus encouraging people to use the space.

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Most of the active frontages15 of Federation Square are concentrated at the public plaza while the rear of the development is mainly Grade ‘C’ facades (figure xx). This is an understandable strategy because most pedestrian movement occurs at the public plaza.

Other than that, the mix building use in Federation Square also ensures that there is constant flow of people throughout the day around the public plaza. The constant flow of people gives a sense of safety and security, hence encouraging more people to use the plaza.

Accessibility Accessibility is an important element to encourage social usage of a public space. It relates to the welcoming vibe of the space to the public.

Accessibility is not limited to physical accessibility, as Carr et al. (1992, p.

138) have identified, there are three forms of access: 

Visual – if people can see into a space before they enter it, they can judge whether they would feel comfortable, welcome and safe there



Symbolic – can be animate or inanimate. Individuals or groups that populate the space can be perceived as threatening or inviting. On the other hand, types of building use may signal the type of people that are welcome there



Physical– concerns whether the space is physically accessible to the public

Figure 27: Facade grade study (source: Places for People: Melbourne 2004)

The form of the square as discussed in ‘the visual dimension’, creates the opportunity for public to assess it wholly before entering it. The openness of the main entry point of the square gives a sense of welcoming and safety. This encourages people to venture into the square and become a part of the social interaction.

Provision of informal seating, large TV screen, cafe’s and numerous amenities gives inanimate symbol cues to observers. These amenities represent the public plaza as a positive space for everyone such as families, teenagers and so forth. Once these people populates the space, it will then give animate cues to more observer to perceive it as a safe and welcoming space, hence inviting more people to populate the public plaza.

The public plaza of Federation Square could be considered as a highly accessible physically. The undulating design of the plaza became integrated ramps for wheelchair access (Figure 28). Other parts in which ramps are not available, lifts are also provided. It could be concluded that Federation Square is a development of public inclusion.

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Grade ‘A’ facades offer two-way visual permeability at street level; Grade ‘B’ facades provide some visual access to the interior, but is obscured by displays, signage or the scale and type of glazing; Grade ‘C’ have poor street interface due to poor or no visibility (City of Melbourne. Places for People – Melbourne 2004)

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Figure 28: Accessibility in Federation Square (source: www.fedsquare.com/)

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Mix building use In order to ensure the continuity of social activities, numerous types of building usage should be integrated within a development. Based on figure xx, it is evident that the development of Federation Square utilise this key principle. The presence of different building use attracts numerous categories of users, from children to elderly. Hence, this generates a wide diversity of people populating the public plaza at different times of the day.

4.3.4 Temporal dimension As stated in Chapter 2, the temporal dimension has three key aspects, time cycles, continuity and stability and change. Since this study is focusing on the vitality- the amount of people that populates the space, this section will be limited to the time cycle of the temporal dimension. In order to encourage and facilitate the use of urban spaces, an understanding of time cycles of day and nights, the seasons and activity cycles needs to be understood.

Montgometry (1995, p. 104) stated that constant flow of people can be stimulated by planned programmes of cultural animation across a range of times and venues. Another factor for successful animation of public plaza relies on the overlapping of complementary activities and this is evident in Federation Square management. Hence, these planned programs that are organized by the management help to animate and contribute to the vitality of the public plaza. These are some building use and events being held in Federation Square, arranged by the time cycles: 24-hour cycle The development of Federation Square is in line with Melbourne’s revitalisation project which aims in creating a 24-hour city. There is a mix of building use within the development that ensures the plaza is populated with people at most hours. Some of the opening hours within the development:     

Australian Centre for the Moving Image: 10am – 6pm The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia: 10am – 5pm 7-eleven: 24 hours Cafe’s and bars: varies, most 8am – 1130pm Hotel: 24 hours Weekly cycle

There are also weekly activities being held in Federation Square. These activities provide the opportunity for public engagement, especially for local residents of Melbourne. Some of the weekly activities are:   

Book Fair: Saturdays Late night Thursdays Tai Chi: Tuesdays 30

Figure 29: Building use study (source: Places for People: Melbourne 2004)

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Monthly cycle Federation Square also organizes monthly events which creates a constant points of interest throughout the year.   

Multicultural events: monthly Wine showcase: bi-monthly Classics at Fed Square: 1st Monday every month

Yearly cycle Federation Square become an attraction for tourists to visit Melbourne in order to witness these special events.  

The Light in winter: 1 month during winter New Year free party: New Years Eve.

The diverse activities, events and opening hour throughout different time cycles provide continual use of the square. Hence, the vitality of the square is further enhanced.

4.4 Stationary Activities in Federation Square Based on the Places for People: Melbourne 2004 survey, there is a high level of stationary activities in Federation Square both during weekday as well as Saturdays (figure 30). Activity with the highest number of people is ‘sitting at a cafe’ for both weekdays and Saturdays. Hence, the provision of numerous cafes and restaurants in the development really contributes to the number of people populating the square.

Figure 30: Stationary activities study around Melbourne (source: Places for People: Melbourne 2004)

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Taking a closer look at Federation Square, the survey has established charts that explain the usage of Federation Square in a 24-hour cycle for weekdays and Saturdays (figure xx). It is evident from the charts that peak usage of Federation square begins from 6.30pm onwards for both days. During Saturdays, the square has high stationary activities until 12am. This could be related to cultural activities being held during the Saturday nights.

Table 2: Stationary activities study at Federation Square (source: Places for People: Melbourne 2004)

4.5 Conclusion Regardless of the initial disapproval from the public on the design of Federation Square, it could be concluded that the square is a successful public space. This is because of the numerous urban design principles that have been considered in its formation.

Through the observation and analysis of the case study using the framework, it is apparent that each of the dimensions is interrelated.

Ultimately, it could be concluded that the morphological dimension of urban design held the utmost influence to the vitality of public space. This is because the beginnings of a city will always start with its morphology, and the visual, perceptual and functional dimensions of the city always relate back to its form. As an example, the morphology will also influence physical and visual accessibility. In addition, finer details of urban design that concerns with the social and temporal dimensions further enhance the vitality in the public realm.

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Chapter Five: Conclusion Conclusion – research objective The objective of this research was to better understand the relationship between the vitality of public spaces and urban design. This research also seeks to understand the dimensions in urban design in order to give clarity in explaining the relationship. Within the literature review, the importance of public space has been highlighted. The urban design framework has also been discussed in depth. Each of the dimensions is explained based on numerous literatures. Hence, this gave a concrete foundation for understanding the relationship of the vitality public space and urban design. Using the methodology that has been outlined, the application of the framework to a case study gives a clear understanding of the relationship between vitality and urban design.

Conclusion – research aims The research aims at examining the urban structure of Melbourne city and Federation Square using the framework. This is done in the discussion chapter using the research method that has been outlined in the methodology. Secondly, the research aims at relating the urban design of Melbourne city to the development of Federation Square. The application of the framework to both Melbourne city and Federation Square, allows the researcher to understand the relation between Melbourne urban design and the development of Federation Square. Lastly, the research aims at investigating the connection between considerations in urban design to the vitality of public spaces. Through the analysis of Melbourne’s urban design and the design of Federation Square using the framework, it could be concluded that there is a connection between urban design considerations and the vitality of public spaces.

Conclusion – research question The connection between urban design considerations and the vitality of public spaces has been made clear in the discussion. Through this understanding, a further analysis of all the urban design considerations based on the framework is done and this led to the conclusion that although there are several distinct dimensions in urban design, it is apparent that each of these dimensions is interrelated. Looking further into this, most of the other dimensions tend to relate back to the morphology dimension of urban design. This led to the final conclusion that the morphology dimension has the most influence towards the vitality of public space.

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Month Week Task Feedback on lit review

26-Jul 1

1-Aug 2

8-Aug 3

Research project plan Literature on methodology Writing up project plan Feedback on project plan Submit assignment 1

15-Aug 4

22-Aug 5

RESEARCH PROJECT PLAN TIMELINE 29-Aug 5-Sep 12-Sep 19-Sep 6 7 8 9

26-Sep 10

3-Oct 11

10-Oct 12

17-Oct 13

24-Oct 14

1-Nov 15

7-Nov 16

3 weeks

12-Aug

Data collection Draft Dissertation Weekly feedback process Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Literature review Chapter 3: Research question and methodology Chapter 4: Discussion Significance of public space Urban design dimensions Compiling datas Analysis of datas Conclusion Chapter 5: Conclusion Submit Draft

7 weeks

4 weeks

22-Aug

Spring Break Final Dissertation Feedback on Draft Draft Revision

4 weeks

Final Dissertation submission

11-Nov

Writing Information gathering Submission date

Feedback process Timeline Break

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Carmona, M., Heath, T., Oc, T. & Tiesdell, H. (2003). Public places, urban spaces: the dimensions of urban design. Oxford, England: Architectural Press.

Carmona, M. & Tiesdell, S. (2007). Urban design reader. Oxford, England: Architectural Press.

Carr, S., Francis, M., Rivlin, L. G. & Stone, A. M. (1992). Public space. New York, United States of America: Cambridge University Press.

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Daffara, P. (2008) “Successful public spaces” Your Development: Creating Sustainable Neighbourhoods.

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Gaventa, S. (2006). New public spaces. London, England: Octopus Publishing Group Ltd. Gehl, J., Gemzoe, L., Kirknaes, S. & Sondergaard, B.S (2006). New City Life. Copenhagen, Denmark: The Danish Architectural Press.

Hajer, M. & Reinjorp, A. (2001). In search of new public realm. Rotterdam, Netherlands: NAi Publishers.

Hawkes, D. “Civic Dimensions” Rev. Of Public Places, Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design by Carmona, M., Heath, T., Oc, T. And Tiedell, T. The Architectural Review August 2003; 214, 1287: Web. Jacobs, J. (1992). The death and life of great American cities. New York, United States of America: Vintage Books.

Krier, R. (1979). Stradtaum/Urban space. Solingen, Germany: UMBAU-VERLAG. Lang, J. (1987), Creating Architectural Theory: The Role of the Behavioural Sciences in Environmental Theory, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

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Madanipour, A. (2010). Whose Public Space?. Oxon, Routledge.

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Places for People – Melbourne 2004. (2004). City of Melbourne.

Punter, J. & Carmona, M. (1997). The Design Dimension of Planning: Theory, Content and Best Practice for Design Policies. London, England: E & FN Spon.

The History of the City of Melbourne. (1997, November). The Melbourne City Council.

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