FEAR in Public Space
architectural analysis of Transvaal, Den Haag
Public Realm Studio Transvaal, April 2009 Sander Janssen 1169513 Albert Richters 1211277 Tutors: Klaske Havik Susanne Komossa Nicola Marzot
FEAR
in Public Space
architectural analysis of Transvaal, Den Haag
Fear in public space Why are people afraid in the public space they use? How does this come to before in the area of Transvaal? The early stages of this research already showed that questions like these proved to be very hard, if not impossible to answer. The people we interviewed about their fear all came up with the same answers: they are not afraid, nothing ever happened to them. The attempts to find the cause of public fear in this way came down to nothing. Therefore, the research we want to do is not a sociological research. Because we are, after all, architecture students, we don’t know how to interview people and interpret their answers in a sociological way. We came up with the idea of making people give a grade for the area around them, and then looked for ways in which the built environment could influence the grades that were given. We dissected the areas in different aspects which could, according to us, influence the sense of security in public space. After this we compare the aspects of the different areas to find out which factors are determining when it comes to the sense of security in the public space of Transvaal.
2
Introduction
Introduction: Fear in public space
2
Interview Map of interview results
4 5
Overview of analysed areas and aspects
6
Areas of analysis: Hobbemaplein + Kempstraat
7
Schalk Burgerstraat
12
Kaapseplein + Kaapstraat
17
Paul Krugerplein + Paul Krugerlaan
22
Stellenboschplein + Wesselstraat
27
Wijkpark
32
Lighting scheme of Transvaal
37
Overview of results
38
Conclusions
39
3
INTERVIEW Distribution of grades concerning feeling of safety in Transvaal
Age group Age group
Male (86) 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69
1
Female (88) 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69
1
Age group
Overall (174) 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69
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Public grades on the feeling of safety within Transvaal In order to get an impression of the amount of fear in Transvaal the research first started of by asking people on the street if they felt scared. This did not work as expected since people usually did not answer that they were afraid. The word fear seemed to strong for people to react upon, it needed extra nuance. Finally the question for the person on the street was: ‘What is the mark (form 1-10) on the feeling of safety in the place where we stand now?’ Fortunately people were able to react to this more accurately and the feeling of safety was translated into an absolute mark. In the end 174 were interviewed throughout Transvaal and by asking this simple question the interviewees were often also willing to substatiate there mark by explaining their reasons for the given mark and commenting on the neighbourhood. The results are visible on the next page. The grading system is based on that of the Dutch education system in which a 6 and higher is seen as a pass mark. Looking at the table above according to this system we see that Transvaal generally speaking has a pass mark when it comes to the public’s feeling of safety. Females seem to be more divided than males since they give lower marks than men. 4
Interview
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MAP: INTERVIEW RESULTS
Interview
5
OVERVIEW SELECTED AREA
Hobbemaplein + Kempstraat
6
PUBLIC OPINION
PROFILES
GLASS AREA
RELIEF
SIGHTLINES
MATERIALS
MAINTENANCE
p7
p8
p9
p9
p10
p10
p11
Schalk Burgerstraat
p12
p13
p13
p14
p15
p15
p16
Kaapseplein + Kaapstraat
p17
p18
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
Paul Krugerplein + Paul Krugerlaan
p22
p23
p24
p24
p25
p25
p26
Stellenboschplein + Wesselstraat
p27
p28
p29
p29
p30
p30
p31
Wijkpark
p32
p33
p34
p34
p35
p35
p36
Overview
HOBBEMAPLEIN+KEMPSTRAAT
Intro On the level of urban design, the Hobbemaplein can be seen as the main entrance into the area of Transvaal. With 7 main roads intersecting in this area it is very accessible from every direction. This relatively small space has to handle vehicular traffic from all these directions which at the same time makes it very busy. The Kempstraat is an extension towards the West from the Hobbemaplein. In the highlighted area shown in the image above this street is mainly represented by the extension of shopping activity which is introduced in the Hobbemaplein and the neighbouring Haagsche Markt (marketplace). Public opinion Viewing the map to the right one can conclude that the public opinion on this space is slightly varied, but generally speaking, people seem to be satisfied when it comes to their feeling of safety. After interviewing different people we found out that the amount of cars and poeple in this space can be intimidating on the one hand, but on the other hand it also contributes to the feeling of safety through the presence of social conrtrol. A main problem on the Hobbemaplein, mentioned by different members of the public, is the fact that the canopy over the entrance of the library is frequently used by junkies and drug dealers at night. People are not comfortable with this phenomenon.
Hobbemaplein+Kempstraat
7
A’ B’ AA’ B
BB’
A
Profiles On first sight the broad sidewalks and the greenery in the middle of the Hobbemaplein seem to be intended mainly for pedestrians. Compared to this area the area for cars is relatively small. Nonetheless, the cars are the most prominent form of traffic because they surround the area. On top of that the green space in the centre merely functions as a decoration of the spaces and thus is not used intesively by pedestrians. Because the large amount of cars is crammed into the small area of roads the space looses some of its overview. Next to this, the Hobbemaplein is also used as a public transport node for buses and trams. Looking at building heights, the area is uniform with a height around 10 to 15 meters. The only exception to this, is the apartment block on top of the libary which is over 40 meters tall.
8
Hobbemaplein+Kempstraat
Area of glazing in facades Viewing the different types of facades it is visible that there is little consitency when it comes to the area of glazing. Some types have very low percentages, while the higher percentages are mainly the effect of the shop displays on the ground floor. This variation in glazing areas may add to the liveliness of the area, but this aspect also makes it difficult to discover consistency in the presence of supervision from the buildings on to the street. Adding to this, it is important to mention that the shopping functions on ground floor level might have a different effect on supervision. First of all the windows are meant as displays and not as something to look through. Also, the public in the area consists mainly of people visiting from outside the area. This public has less connection with the neighbourhood and diminishes the possibility for social control. Finally, shops close after a certain time which means that the ground floor of many buildings are empty in the nighttime. Relief of facades When analyzing the relief of the facades, there should be a stricter distinction between the Hobbemaplein and the Kempstraat. As mentioned in the introduction the Hobbemaplein is the intersection of roads arriving from all directions. The large amount of entrances here contributes to the overview of this area. The Kempstraat, on the other hand, is characteristic that many side streets arrive onto this straight road. Its straightness gives it clarity, but the relatively large amount of side streets decrease the overview. In addition tho this, porticos form a sort of black holes which diminish visibilty. They are not well lit, so therefore they are interesting places for people that want to avoid public attention. Hobbemaplein+Kempstraat
9
Sightlines The most characterizing aspect of the Hobbemaplein is the fact that it is a node where streets from every direction intersect. Underneath, the 360o panorama shows that there are many sightlines. Connecting this fact to the feeling of safety of this location it could be stated that the sightlines give an overview of the situation since they give the possibility to orient oneself in the neigbourhood. Taking the aspect of fear in a literal sense, these sightlines can be interpreted as escape routes.
Materials The material seen the most on the Hobbemaplein and Kempstraat is brown brick. This might seem boring at first but it contributes to the materialistic cohesion of the street in a great extent. Variation of the materials is mainly seen on the ground floor, where shop owners gave their property an individual appearance. Despite the variation in materials, the colour use is quite consistent: mainly brown and reddish materials. This, combined with the patches of green, gives the street a warm appearance.
10
Hobbemaplein+Kempstraat
Maintenance The maintenance of the ground floor in this area is good. Apart from the gum-stains there is barely litter around and also the small park in the middle of the Hobbemaplein looks like it is cleaned up regularly. Vandalism is discouraged by making the furnishing of the street seem indestructible. For example, benches are made of solid blocks of concrete and bicycle stalls are made of thick, steel pipes. Much less attention is paid to the maintenance of the facades on the floors above the ground floor. Especially colours that were once supposed to be white stand out because of their staining and discolouration, giving the street a shabby appearance.
Hobbemaplein+Kempstraat
11
SCHALK BURGERSTRAAT
Intro The Schalk Burgerstraat is one of the main diagonals running through Transvaal which, in the beginning of the 20th century was meant to efficiently connect different neighbourhoods of Den Haag. Therefore it is one of the older streets within Transvaal. Today, it still forms a connection towards the ‘Zuiderpark’ to the Southwest of Transvaal and the road along zuiderpark which finallly leads to Rijswijk, one of Den Haags neighbouring towns. Contrary to the other main diagonal in Transvaal, the Paul Krugerstraat, the Schalk Burgerstraat is not characterized by its shopping functions. It mainly is flanked by housing. Public opinion With a 5,6 as an average score, the public gave the lowest marks for the Schalk Burgerstraat. People often speak about robberies and burglary, this makes them feel uncomfortable. They also talk about a lack of overview due to the corners and crooked streets. This mainly applies for the Southern section of the Schalk Burgerstreet which is the oldest remaining area of Transvaal. There are some dead ends here. Another complaint is the fact that cars make the street less safe for pedestrians. The next paragraph about the street profiles will elaborate this aspect further.
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Schalk Burgerstraat
Profiles The street profile of the Schalk Burgerstraat is straightforward since the functions within the street are relatively homogenous. The street is mainly surrounded by housing with the exception of a some occasional shops and coffee houses and a primary school. Like most of the other parts of Transvaal the building height is around 10m. The width of the street is between 15 and 20m. This makes the total profile quite spacious. On the other hand, a problem mentioned often by the interviewees, is the fact that many cars drive there at high speeds, and therefore it is not very safe. Indeed the surface for the vehicles is large in comparison with that of the pedestrians. Keeping in mind that the Schalk Burgerstraat is a perfectly straight road means that this road can cause people to drive at high speeds. Adding to this, the parking function in this street consists of parking along the sidewalks. There doesn’t seem to be a specificallly designated area for parking cars. Because of the large amount of cars parked along the street it is difficult to have a good view of the road and the speeding cars driving by.
A
A’
Area of glazing in facades Together with the Kaapsestraat the Schalk Burgerstraat has the smallest areas of glass in Transvaal. Comparing this aspect with for instance the window areas around the Hobbemaplein, it is visible that the absent shopping function has an effect on window size. Firstly, small window area means less overview to and from the street, but it also means more privacy inside. Small window area does not necessarily have to have a negative effect on the street, although the pedestrian on the street might feel less looked at when doing something ‘suspicious’. In this sense there is less social control. In the evening, less light will escape onto the street from within the dwellings and therefore the Schalk Burgerstreet is relatively darker.
AA’
Schalk Burgerstraat
13
Relief of facade The Schalkburgerstraat is bordered by the old Haagse Portiek typology on both sides, resulting in much variety in the relief of the facades. Of all the areas we analysed this street has the highest intensity of porticos. The size and illumination of these porticos varies, and although some porticos are closed off with fences, all of them still leave enough room for people to stand or sit inside. The number of side streets is average, but interviews have indicated that the intersections with the main street lack overview. The spacious setup of the street and the monumentality of the street provide a good visibility, but only in the direction of the axis of the street. This might invite car drivers to drive like maniacs, which partly explains the problems around the intersections.
14
Schalk Burgerstraat
Sightlines The Schalk Burgerstraat is the longest uninterrupted street cutting straight through Transvaal. Because of this it basically has a sightline which runs throughout the entire length of the street. Because of its straightness one could say that the Schalk Burgerstraat has a clear overview. On the other hand, the building blocks form hard boundaries along the street which make orientation within the surroundings of Transvaal more difficult. There are quite a large amount of side streets, but unlike the Hobbemaplain and the Kempstraat these sidestreets are merely punctures within the building block walls and therefore they do not provide an overview of the area. Actually these side streets have a contrary effect to this: since it is hardly possible to look through the side streets from the Schalk Burgerstraat the streets become places of the unknown. It is hard to see what goes on and can possibly come out of these streets. Interviewees, for instance, talked about dangerous situations of turning onto the Schalk Burgerstraat since visibility from and into the sidestreets is impai+red. Materials The material use in the Schalkburgerstraat is comparable to the material use in the Kaapstraat, although it is much better maintained here. Again, the materialisation of the facades and streets is very consistent and just rarely disturbed by individual additions like canopies and advertisements. The colour and materials used give the Schalkburgerstraat its historical characted, but the effect on the feeling of safety is probably minimal.
Stellenboschplein+Wesselstraat
15
Maintenance As already explained in the materialisation of the Schalkburgerstraat, the maintenance of this street is quite good. There are no signs of vandalism, but measures to prevent criminal activities are seen everywhere here. Spikes, barbed wire and camera’s are a rule in this area, not an exception. However, multiple examples can be seen of individual attempts to give the street a warm feeling. People decorate the sidewalk with plants or clearly make the entrance to their home individual with beautiful doors. Measures to prevent burglary can take the form of decorative elements, as is shown on the pictures above.
16
Schalk Burgerstraat
KAAPSTRAAT+KAAPSEPLEIN
Intro The Kaapseplein is the main square in the southern half of transvaal. To some extent it is an entrance into Tranvaal from the south because it is set along the Hoefkade, the main street that demarks the southern boarder of the neighbourhood. The petrol station between the hoefkade and the Kaapseplein is a reference point for the public visiting this area. It not only is a station to fill the cars, but also this station functions as a sort of meeting point for youth and people living around it. The Kaapseplein itself is charachterized by large, old oak trees and its playground functions. It is also one of the for Squeares in Transvaal with a so-called ‘Haagshe Hopje’. The recycled containers used for this initative function as lending kiosks with games for kids to play with. During opening hours a supervisor is always present. This contributes to the amount of social control, though the ‘Haagsche Hopjes’ are only open from 14.45 to 20.30. The southern introduction into Transvaal of the Kaapseplein is continued into the Kaapstraat. Which extends from the square to the Kempstraat in the center of Transvaal. The Kaapstraat is also characterized by two rows of oaks in the middel of the street which has a broad pedestrian zone. Together with the Kaapseplein the Kaapsestraat is part of the older areas of Transvaal. Public opinion Looking at the webgraph on the right of this page, the public opinion on the Kaapstraat and the Kaapseplein is very devided. It is interesting to see that mainly females gave a lower score for this area. People usually feel unctofortable here because of the increase in the number of Eastern European inhabitants. They live in an isolated community which does not mix very easily with other groups because they are not able to speak Dutch. This makes it very difficult for other inhabitants to grasp who they are. Kaapstraat+Kaapseplein
17
AA’
Profiles Looking at the profile of the Kaapstraat it is obvious that this area is focused mainly on pedestrians. The road intended for cars is split up in two one-way roads, separated by a wide and monumental pedestrian area. The percentages of space reserved for cars and pedestrians are almost equal. The wide street combined with the low building height make the area quite exposed, but this effect is countered by the big trees in the streets. The profiles of the Kaapseplein show that the exposure of this area is varying. Groups of trees opposed to areas with no trees at all give the square different levels of intimacy. These different levels of exposure give the Kaapseplein more variation than the other squares and streets analysed in this research and could therefore be more appealing for public use.
BB’
CC’
A’ A B’ C’ C B
18
Kaapseplein+Kaapstraat
Area of glazing in facades The glass areas of the Kaapstraat belong to the smaller areas in the neighborhood. The typology of the building are similar here to the neighbouring Schalk Burgerstraat and therefore the window sizes correspond as well. Also the functions in the street are manly dwellings with the occasional shop and coffee house. These smaller areas mean less views to and from the street and less light during the evening. Relief of facades As opposed to the windows, the effect of the relief of the facade on the feeling of safety is much more noticeable. There are a lot of porticos in this street, mainly situated in the older buildings. These porticos are quite big and dark and, according to the inhabitants of the street, quite frequently used by junkies and drunk people as a bedroom or toilet. The overview on has in this street is further decreased by several rows of parked cars, and the big trees standing on the pedestrian area in the middle of the street.
Kaapseplein+Kaapstraat
19
Sightlines The Kaapseplein opens up the structure of corridor streets, such as the Kaapstraat, of southern Transvaal. In this way it gives oppurtunity for orientation. Since the square is situated along the Hoefkade - the main street deliniating the southern border of Transvaal - it indicates the possibility of easy escape, it is no cul-de-sac. Underneath we see that trees obstruct the openness of the area and possibly diminish overview. In the other hand, we must not forget that trees usually have a positive effect on the atmosphere since they give colour to the neighbourhood.
Materials Considering the fact that the Kaapseplein and Kaapstraat are in the old area of Transvaal, it is no surprise that the most prominent materials seen here are old bricks and tiles. Their greyish and mossy appearance overrules the presence of materials that do give the streets a warm feeling, like the old red bricks seen in the facades along the Kaapstraat. The newly built block here seems to attempt such a warm material use, but fails to do so because of its all-too-perfect red bricks and
20
rigid appearance. The grey and brown materials are counterbalanced by the huge green trees in the area. Although the material use in this area is not spectacular, the fact that all the buildings are materialised in a similar way gives the streets a very consistent look.
Kaapstraat+Kaapseplein
Maintenance ‘Den Haag Schoon’ (The Hague Clean) tiles seen on the floor of the Kaapseplein - see left most picture on the previous page - bring the promise that this area is maintained on a regular basis. This might be the case for the Kaapseplein, although this maintenance fails to cover up the effects of vandalism. Other than that, the square area is quite clean. The Kaapstraat however, seems to be not maintained at all. Vandalism is indicated by destroyed phone booths and trash cans. Especially the monumental pedestrian area in the middle of the street is a no-go area when it comes to maintenance. Despite measures that stimulate dog owners to clean up after their pet, dog feces is omnipresent. Furthermore all kinds of junk can be found on this street, from cigarettes to dead birds. The poor maintenance of this street greatly contributes to its negative image, which is a shame because the trees and wide pedestrian area give it a very monumental and classic look.
Kaapseplein+Kaapstraat
21
PAUL KRUGERSTRAAT+PAUL KRUGERPLEIN
Intro The Paul Krugerstraat is the main shoppingstreet of Transvaal. It is lined by small convenience stores, butchers, cafes, snackbars and (bridal) shops for the Hindu community. Because of the shops the street has a lively atmosphere which attracts people outside of Transvaal, often also outside of Den Haag. The Paul Kugerstraat is also important in an infrastructural sense. It is one of the main roads that connects the center of Den Haag with neighbourhoods to the west. Next to this, two tramlines (6 and 12) run through it. The Paul Kruger plein is the opening of the street at the intersection with the Steijnlaan. It is mainly surrounded by snackbars and supermarkets and is mainly used as a transition zone instead of a destination. At night though, it is a meeting place for youth. Public opinion In general the public here is satisfied with the Paul Krugerstraat and the Paul Krugerplein since, the average mark is a 6,2. Mainly the woman and parents with kids do not feel that safe in this neighbourhood. Often the interviewees talk about problems in the nightime. Other people are very positive about the area, but in these cases it is usually boys who give the impression they want to display there toughness and therefore say it is perfectly safe (for them).
22
Paul Krugerstraat+Paul Krugerplein
AA’
DD’
A’ A C’ D’
B’
B C
CC’ D
Profiles The area of the Paul Krugerstraat en Paul Krugerplein is similar to that of the Kempstraat discussed earlier. It has similarities when it comes to the ground floor of shops and above them 2 to 3 floors for dwellings. As mentioned with the Kempstraat, this area deals with a large amount of people visiting from outside of Transvaal to visit the shops. These people have less connetion with the neighbourhood than people actually living there and this can diminish the possibility of social control. The ground floor layer of the shops also disconnects the dwellings from the public activity on street level. A major part of the Paul Krugerstraat is meant for vehicular traffic and trams. Because of this, the area meant for pedestrians is relatively small. Nonetheless the sidewalks are still broad enough to take the amount of users walking through the street. In general the width of the street is quite broad, which makes the street quite open in spite of the slightly higher building height of the older building types here. The Paul Krugerplein is a decompression area in the middel of the Paul Kruger area. This is where also where tramstations are located and wher two tramlines part. Because of the openess here, there is a good overview of the shops and snackbars surrounding it and it also gives a good overview of the activities taking place there.
BB’
Paul Krugerplein+Paul Krugerlaan
23
Area of glazing in facades The glass areas in the Paul Krugerstraat surroundings are higher in comparison with those of the Kempstraat and around the Hobbemaplein. The older building typology usually has higher storeys and therefore the glazing area of the dwellings above the ground level are also some what higher. Also, due to the shopping function the glazing area is heightened because of the display windows. Once again it is important to mention that there is quite a hard line between the ground floor and the upper floors. Recently this line has been ‘softened’ though because large sections of canopy covering the shops and sidewalks have been removed. Another very important aspect of the building type when it comes to glazing is the presence of bay windows. Glass area is increased and, more importantly, the bay windows protrude through the facade line which gives the possibility of looking into the street. This enhances visibility and overview.
Relief of facade Because of the perpendicular orientation of the building blocks towards the Paul Krugerlaan, this street has a high number of side streets. The relief of the facades is quite uniform, the only exception is one building block with four porticos oriented towards the street. Thus, in this case the overview of the street is mainly influenced by the high number of entrances and exits connected to it.
24
Paul Krugerstraat+Paul Krugerplein
Sightlines The Paul Krugerstraat is devided into two sections due to the Paul Krugerplein. This opening provides a good overview of the area because it is an orientation point on the intersection of the Paul Krugerstreet with the Steijnlaan. It is therefore possible to look through the different streets into various directions. Without the Paul Krugerplein the Paul Krugerstraat would be less surveyable since the street changes angle. Without the square it would be more difficult to see both ends of the street simultaniously.
Materials What immediately catches the eye in the Paul Krugerlaan is the great variety of materials. Again this variety is seen on the ground floor due to the customisation of the facades of the shops. Once these ground floor facades were covered by a canopy that stretched along the building blocks, but now that canopy has been removed it is obvious that the monumental and consistent appearance of the buildings clashes with the chaotic appearance that is brought forward by the shops.
Concerning colour there is also no consistency to be found on the ground floor. The facades are cladded with tiles and paint in many different colours, supplemented by an even greater variety of decoration and advertisements. The streets and sidewalks consist of all different types of tiles and bricks, again in different colours.
Paul Krugerplein+Paul Krugerlaan
25
Maintenance The maintenance varies from building to building but overall the maintenance of the Paul Krugerlaan is relatively low. The streets are quite clean but the lack of maintenance is clearly seen in the state of the facades. Some signs of vandalism can be seen, but the presence of criminal activities mainly is indicated by the big steel fences that are put in front of the shopfronts when the shops are closed. The street is enlivened by colourful plants and flowers, which provide a positive element in the many different faces of the Paul Krugerlaan.
26
Paul Krugerstraat+Paul Krugerplein
STELLENBOSCHPLEIN+WESSELSTRAAT
Intro The Stellenboschplein and the Wesselstraat are situated in the most recently developed area of Transvaal and therefore the Building blocks and streets are brand new. Both street and square are surrounded by dwellings. Unlike most other parts of Transvaal the newly developed areas do not have the (informal) shops that do their business in between the houses. Public opinion As is shown on on the map and the webgraph, the Wesselstraat and the Stellenboschplein have the highest score when it comes to the feeling of safety. It is interesting to see that people mention junkies as a cause for an feeling of discomfort, but still give a high score. There seems to be a disconnection between elements that can be seen as a threat and the actual feeling of fear. In the case of junkies it might be the case that they indeed cause problems such as vandalism and threat, but that they will not necessarily come into contact with civilians very quickly. Junkies, for instance, usually operate at night when most people stay indoors. This could be the reason why people do not directly see them as a threat to their safety.
Stellenboschplein+Wesselstraat
27
AA’
A’ A
C B’ B
BB’
C’
Profiles In the profile of the Wesselstraat it seems that, due to the narrowness of the street there is a relatively high percentage of elements blocking the view in the street. Still, this street area has the highest rating concerning the feeling of safety. This is probably due to the strict organisation of the street. There is a clear place for pedestrians, trees and parking, and motorised traffic travels through this street in only one direction. There is a good balance between the areas for pedestrians and the areas for cars. Also: what you see is what you get, the profile shows all you can expect in the streets. There are no niches or porticos. The Stellenboschplein is the most exposed area. Its strict organisation and its lack of view-blocking elements give this area a very high level of openness. The dwellings around the square supervise it through big windows. The sense of being safe is very high in this area, but one might wonder if this square is not a zone to pass through due to its lack of furnishing.
28
CC’
Wesselstraat+Stellenboschplein
Area of glazing in facades The glazing area in of the Stellenboschplein and the Wesselstraat are by far the largest amongst the other research location discussed in our research. More than one third of the entire facade area is glass and this makes for extreme visibility to and from the street or square. A remarkable characteristic of the large window areas is that the windows are one storey high. This is interesting on ground floor level because it gives a very open impression whilst walking through the street. Privacy is made possible by the application of (lace) curtains, a phenomenon that is visible throughout the whole of Transvaal. Since the Wesselstraat and the Stellenboschplein are purely dwellings the large windows also will emit quite a lot of light onto the street in the nighttime. Relief of facade In both the Wesselstraat and the Stellenboschplein the relief of the facades is minimal. The facades do have niches, but these are barely big enough to stand in and definitely don’t provide room to sit or sleep in. This is also discouraged by filling some niches with either plants or giving the ground surface a relief. The building blocks are oriented alongside the streets so there is only a small amount of side streets. All these factors combined give the Stellenboschplein and Wesselstraat a good overview.
Stellenboschplein+Wesselstraat
29
Sightlines Just like the Kaapstraat a few streets to the west of the Stellenboschplein the square opens up the urban tissue of the brand new corridor streets like the Wesselstraat. The difference here, when it comes to sightlines, is the fact that the Stellenboschplein is surrounded by buildingblocks on all sides. If we look at the amount of black in the diagram below we see that this percentage is the highest in comparison with the other reseacrh areas. Views are blocked by the buildings. Counteracting this, is the fact that the square is very empty. There are no other objects that obstruct the visibility such as the trees on the Kaapseplein.
Materials The use of material and colour in both the Stellenboschplein and Wesselstraat is intended to give the area a very warm feeling. Brown and red bricks with a ‘natural’ texture are used, combined with wooden benches and lots of greenery. The materials are also in a very good state, but that is mainly due to the fact that they are brand new and have therefore not been exposed to vandalism or weathering for long.
30
Wesselstraat+Stellenboschplein
Maintenance The area is very well maintained. There is no litter to be found anywhere, except for a mysterious loose brick that seems to appear every time on the Stellenboschplein. Initiatives to make the inhabitants take care of the greenery in the street seem to work, which contributes in a very positive way to the overall look of the street. Of course measures to prevent crime in this street are also taken, but they are integrated in the architecture in such a way that you can barely notice them. In some examples, as shown in the top left picture, they are realised in such a way that they form an interesting decorative element. There are some signs of vandalism in the Stellenboschplein, but these are overruled completely by the good appearance of the area.
Stellenboschplein+Wesselstraat
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WIJKPARK
Intro More than a decade ago the Wijkpark was filled by buidling blocks following the stucture of the urban tissue as seen in the rest of Transvaal, long parallel streets for housing. The wijkpark was intended to bring more air into Transvaal since the old structure was under high pressure. The inhabitants missed a place to take air and children did not have enough places to play outdoors. Despite the large amount of housing that had to be demolished due to this project, the park seems to be succesful. Wijkpark is mostly surrounded by housing blocks, and two appartment blocks standing in the park overlook the surroundings and form a clear point of reference within Transvaal. Because of this wijkpark has become a central point in Transvaal. This central location is also visible because it is intensively used as a Transition zone bewtween the two main shopping areas in the neighbourhood: the market to the south and the Paul Krugerstreet to the northwest. Public opinion The public has a positive opinion on the park when it comes to the feeling of safety. Interviews show that this is mainly due to the high amount of visibility, the sightlines are long and the space is vast. People also talk about good social control here due to the presence of a playground and the animal farm.
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Wijkpark
A’ B
B’
Profiles Compared with the other streets and squares the profiles of the Wijkpark can be considered as a mix of the profiles of the Kaapseplein and the Stellenboschplein. It has a level of exposure comparable to the Stellenboschplein, but achieves this not through a lack of furnishing but simply through its large scale. Like the Kaapseplein, there are different levels of intimacy to be seen. However, these are now spread over a much larger area, giving the area a much clearer overview than the Kaapseplein.
A
AA’
BB’
Wijkpark
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Area of glazing in facades The glass areas surrounding the Wijkpark are around average in comparison to the rest of Transvaal. But this given is not relevant for the Wijkpark because the openess of the park is the main factor that creates visibility of this place. In a street, windows play an important role for the surveillance on the street. This is not the case for Wijkpark since the vast space creates large distances between the windows and the activities taking place on the streets. Relief of the facades In general the facades surrounding this area are quite flat. Most of the porticos are very high and exposed. The porticos and side streets in this area will barely have an effect on people’s feeling of safety here since they are overruled by the openness of the area. On top of that, the area is only accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists, cars are diverted around it.
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Wijkpark
Sightlines Because of the vast space of the park visibility is very high and the amount of sightlines is very large. This is visible in the diagram below because it shows a low amount of objects that obstruct views. Taking the aspect of fear in a literal sense, these characteristics help because it is very easy to locate an escape route and to see where threat is coming from. Also, social control is made because of this openess.
Materials Just like in the new area around the Stellenboschplein it seems to be the fashion here to use materials coloured brown and red, supplemented by lots of greenery. The only exception is formed by the white urban villas that border the Wijkpark. The materials seem to be vandalism-proof, except for the wooden benches.
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Maintenance The maintenance of this area is very good. There is no litter around and vandalism is barely seen. Again this can be explained by the young age of the area, but the measures to properly maintain this area surely have a positive effect on people’s experience of the place.
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MAP: LIGHTING SCHEME Lighting in Transvaal During the interviews we often heard comments about the lighting in Transvaal. While streets function fine during the day, they are unsafe at night. Also people’s feeling of safety changed over the last few years as a result of changes in lighting of a certain area. For example, people said that an increase in lighting on the Paul Krugerlaan has contributed to the sense of safety in a positive way. We therefore decided to make a map of the lighting in the area. From this map we can conclude that Transvaal overall is quite well lit, with the exception of the Paul Krugerplein. The Steijnlaan and Kaapstraat are also well lit, but there are big trees in those streets which take away a lot of light from the lampposts at night. The dark in-between areas that are created in this way have a negative effect on people’s feeling of safety.
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SELECTED AREA
Hobbemaplein + Kempstraat
PUBLIC OPINION
PROFILES
GLASS AREA
RELIEF
SIGHTLINES
MATERIALS
MAINTENANCE
p7
p8
p9
p9
p10
p10
p11
Schalk Burgerstraat
p12
p13
p13
p14
p15
p15
p16
Kaapseplein + Kaapstraat
p17
p18
p19
p19
p20
p20
p21
Paul Krugerplein + Paul Krugerlaan
p22
p23
p24
p24
p25
p25
p26
Stellenboschplein + Wesselstraat
p27
p28
p29
p29
p30
p30
p31
Wijkpark
p32
p33
p34
p34
p35
p35
p36
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Overview
CONCLUSIONS
Glass areas: Although glass areas are not the smallest in the neighbourhood, the function as elements of overview and social control is diminished by the fact that on the ground floor most glass is meant as shop displays and not windows to look through. (p.9) Hobbemaplein + Kempstraat
Sightlines: The overview of the Hobbemaplein makes orientation in the the area easier and gives a good overview of the surroundings. It also Profiles: The general street profiel of the shows that the largest part of the street spaces is meant for cars, either in the form of traffic or when they are parked along the road. (p.13)
Schalk Burgerstraat
Sightlines: The fact that there are only a few sightlines shows that the overview is diminished even more. The corridor structure with lack of possibility view the outside cause people to drive fast and this has a Profiles: A positive aspect visible in the profile is the division in spaces that are more open and more intimate. People are able to accommodate themselves in these different places. (p.18)
Kaapseplein + Kaapstraat
Relief: The large number of portico seems to have an effect on the feeling of safety in the area since, people often mention the porticos as places where junkies and drunks sleep, drink and litter. Porticos give the Relief: The relief of the Paul Kruger street is very rugged due to the large amount of streets connecting to each side. This diminishes the overview of what is coming around the corner. (p.24)
Paul Krugerplein + Paul Krugerlaan
Sightlines: The overview and the possibility of orientation given by the Paul Krugerplein is a good way of opening up the Paul Krugerstraat. The maintenance and materialization here are quite poor and at night Glass areas: The area of glazing in the facades here is the largest in comparisson to the rest of the neighbourhood. Since there are no shops on the ground floor but dwellings, the surveillance of the street is greater than other areas and this contributes to social control. Also more light from within the houses shines into the street. (p.29)
Stellenboschplein + Wesselstraat
Relief: As other new developments in Transvaal there are no porticos and the amount of side streets is low. This means that the views are Profile: The profiles show the openness of the Wijkpark and shows that this area is made for pedestrians. People seem to be happy with these aspects. (p.33)
Wijkpark
seems to add to social-control because the radial setup of streets on the Hobbemaplein make it a place where the pubic arrives from different directions. (p.10) Materials: Shopkeepers attempt to decorate their shop by use of different facade materials, such as marble, tiling etc. this contributes to the liveliness on the street. These materials compensate for the gray and darker tones of the sidewalks and asphalt. The greenerey of the Hobbemaplein is a welcome colour accent. (p.10) negative effect on the peoples feeling of safety. (p.15) Maintenance: Although the street does not look have many signs of decay, specially in this street a lot of measures have been taken to protect oneself from burglary or unwanted entrance of people. This is a sign that people do not feel comfortable with the situation. (p.16)
opportunity for people to remove themselves from sight. It must be mentioned though that porticos do not necessarily have to have a negative effect. Often this misuse is a combination of other factors as well. For instance level of income in the neighborhood. (see p.19) Maintanance: maintanance is very bad in the Kaapstraat and there is a lot of damage by vandalism. This means that people do not have a connection with there environment. (p.21) there is a lack of lighting. This gives an unsafe feeling mainly at night, but at the same time it is a meeting place. This means that people see a quality in this square, it has potential. (see p.25) Materials: Like in the Kempstraat shopkeepers attempt to distinguish themselves by decorated there facades using different materials and colours. On one hand this seems chaotic since the maintanance of the facades in this area are quite the poor. Nonetheless it contributes to the liveliness of the street. (p.25) clear: what you see is what you get, there are no surprises. This adds to the feeling of safety.(p.29) Materials: In the new developments it is visible that the colouring and the materials have a warmer feel to them. The bricks have brighter orange tones, and more use has been made of wood. Also the possibility of putting plants on the street has been integrated in the architecture. It must be pointed out that the new materials still look good and have not worn out yet, this also improves the atmosphere. Because of the is people have more connection with their environment.(p.30) Materials: Since the Wijkpark is a new project it has similar characteristics as the Wesselstraat. The colours are warmer and there is a place for greenery. There are also less signs of wear and tear. (p.35)
Sightlines: Because of the openness, sightlines are very long in this area. Also there are many possibilities to get out of the area, ‘escape routes’. (p.35) 39
CONCLUSION As this research has indicated, it is hard to distinguish a single aspect of the built environment that causes people to experience a feeling of unsafety. Every street and square we analysed showed its own specific causes for the grades people gave for them. What we can conclude is that people feel safer in an environment that doesn’t look like it has deteriorated, from either advanced age or from vandalism. The appearance of the street as an effect of good maintenance and attractive materials has a positive effect on people’s experience. Also, if someone has a good overview over the space and is clearly visible to the people around him contributes to the feeling of being safe in a positive way. This means that open spaces with clear sightlines and spaces surrounded by buildings with a high percentage of glass in their facades give people a better sense of security. The other aspects we analysed can not lead to a single conclusion for the entire area of Transvaal. The experience of an aspect like the relief of the facade is too much dependent on the local circumstances. Something that can be experienced in one neighbourhood as a positive thing can have exactly the opposite effect in another neighbourhood. Therefore it is not possible to come up with a single scenario that will solve all the problems concerning people’s feeling of safety throughout the entire area of Transvaal. A scenario that could be used to give the area a more positive image overall would consist of socalled ‘Urban Acupuncture’. It would consist of a collection of small interventions throughout the different neighbourhoods to first improve the local image, and all together the image of the entire area of Transvaal. For example: in order to ensure a better maintenance of the street an intervention could be aimed at restoring the inhabitants’ feeling for their environment. Giving the inhabitants an environment they are proud of will stimulate them to actively participate in its maintenance. In a street like the Kaapstraat, this pride could be restored by upgrading the pedestrian zone to a monumental axis. Also, these interventions should be aimed at improving the image of porticos and side streets. The removal of porticos and side streets is not the answer to reducing fear in an area. Instead, one should focus on how these elements, that now provoke misuse, could be transformed into elements that are unpredictable in a positive sense. Corners, either the result of crossing streets or of a portico touching the sidewalk, provide space for chance encounters and therefore have a potential of becoming a place for meeting instead of a place of avoidance.
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