Retrofitting West Oxford U r b a n O pe n S p a c e s:
Public Squares URBAN DESIGN: Theory 1 - P32073
3rd December 2013 Sadaf Pourzand
Abstract This essay examines the importance of open spaces within an urban area with the most emphasis put towards public urban squares. It is believed that squares have introduced valuable open spaces into towns and cities and are one of the most important elements in city design. The theories behind designing a good urban square has been studied and discussed using research by Whyte, Moughtin, Carmona, Wheeler, Barnett and many more urban theorists. The essay ends with explaining the approaches which have been put forward in the redevelopment of Frideswide Square in Oxford.
Essay Structure 1.
Introduction into the aim of the essay
2.
Brief summary into the history of urban open spaces, focusing
mostly on public urban squares and their importance within an
urban area
3.
Urban square theory explanation using precedents
3.1.
Increasing sense of community
(Carmona, 2012. Moughtin, 2003. Wheeler, 2009. Whyte, 1980)
3.2.
Masking undesirable noises
(Kang, 2007. Whyte, 1980)
3.3.
Informal seating within the square
(Gehl, 2011. Whyte, 1980)
3.4.
Creating a landmark to generate an identity
(Carmona, 2003. Moughtin, 1999. Sitte, 1889)
3.5.
4.
Landscaping an urban square (Carmona, 2012. Gehl, 2011. Moughtin, 2005. Whyte, 1980)
Approaches used in redesigning Frideswide Square
5. Conclusion i
1.
Introduction
This essay aims to explore the theory of urban open spaces with the most emphasis put towards public urban squares. The importance of public squares will be discussed as well as five different approaches to creating a successful square. These being: increasing sense of community within the area, masking undesirable noises, appropriate seating around the square, creating a landmark to generate an identity and landscaping an urban square.
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2.
History of Urban Open Spaces and Squares
Urban design exists due to the crossing of architecture, landscape architecture and city planning. It functions as a joined creative process between several regulations and results in three dimensional urban forms and spaces (Wall & Waterman 2010). One concept of urban design is where the town or city is visualised as an open landscape where buildings have been introduced as the three dimensional objects placed within the open spaces (Moughtin 2003 P63). Since cities first developed provision has been made for open spaces, typically taking up around one third of urban areas. Open spaces began to be developed in United Kingdom due to the rapid growth of towns and cities in the nineteenth century (Moughtin et al 2005 P77-79). Open spaces are one aspect of the urban environment that is of great importance in the daily life of people living in urban areas nonetheless their importance is often forgotten and needs to be reminded (Woolley 2003 P2). One significant aspect of open urban spaces is a pubic square. A square is usually referred to an open space framed by buildings (Carmona et al 2003 P142) or an area designed to exhibit its buildings to the greatest advantage. One of the most important elements of city design is the square. It is possibly the greatest way of designing a good setting for buildings in cities (Moughtin 2003 P67). Squares have introduced valuable open spaces into 2
cities to make a pleasant addition to cityscape (Barnett 1982 P72). According to Alberti, a renaissance theorist, in early days squares were laid out in different part of the city for different uses. ‘Some were laid to expose merchandises to sale in time of peace; and others for the exercises proper for youth; and others for laying up stores in the time of war. (Alberti 1986 P81)’ It is believed that even then squares had a connection with the surrounding buildings and were used as a way to create a community life within the area (Moughtin 2003 P88). Figure 1 demonstrates Norwich Market Place in the 1800s.
Fig 1. Norwich Market Place – 1800s - Housing different types of markets
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3.
Urban Square Theories
3.1.
Increasing Sense of Community
(Carmona, 2012. Moughtin, 2003. Wheeler, 2009. Whyte, 1980)
Open spaces, such as plazas and squares can be designed to improve the quality of an area while exhibiting the surrounding buildings and being ‘people places’ (Carmona et al 2003 P142). They help to encourage the preservation and even recreation of a sense of community within an area (Harvey 1990 P276). Squares are an escape for workers to relax and talk, endorsing a sense of community amongst residents and a space for activity (Carmona et al 2012 P22). By creating a well-designed public square, the opportunities of daily activities increase within the area. Enabling one to see and to hear and to be amongst others, experiencing them functioning in various situations. This experience represents a colourful and attractive opportunity for stimulation (Wheeler et al 2009 P100-101). Successful and well-used urban squares are sociable places (Whyte 1980 P17). If designed well they become a welcoming space that invites individuals passing by to stay and to connect with one another therefore creating a busy area (Healthy Places 2009). According to Whyte’s research ‘what attracts people the most, it would appear, is other people’ (Whyte 1980 P19) suggesting that activity in a square is important for its liveliness and 4
for its visual attraction to increase sense of community within the area (Moughtin 2003 P87). A good square starts at the street corner. If it is a busy corner, it has a social life of its own which can be passed on to the square (Whyte 1980 P54). In highly complex central areas of cities, squares should be designed as a way to create easy pedestrian and traffic movement within the area (Barnett 1982 P74). Whyte suggested ‘if you want to seed a place with activity, put out food’; his research showed that at every lively plaza in New York a food vendor with seating was visible whether it was a snack bar or a cafe (Whyte 1980 P50). Figure 2 shows a crepe vendor situated in Canterbury.
Fig 2. Crepe Vendor in Canterbury
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3.2.
Masking Undesirable Noises
(Kang, 2007. Whyte, 1980)
Public spaces always have the issue of the ‘undesirables’ whether it is ‘undesirable people’ (Whyte 1980 P60) or ‘undesirable noises’. Through good management the level of the undesirables can be reduced. It is believed that a higher driving speed has a high contribution to undesirable noises (Botteldooren et al P178) therefore one way to reduce the noise level would be by reducing the speed limit within an area. A good choice of road surface can also help to reduce the level of undesirable noises being created by cars; it has been shown through modifying road surfaces wheel rolling noise can be reduced (VMM 2007). It is believed that undesirable noises can be masked by creating a water feature, this will work as ‘white noise’ to create a sound that is appealing to the human brain as a mask for the undesirable noises being created by people or cars driving past (Peterson 2010). The use of water features is increasingly being considered and used in built urban areas due to the positive qualities of water sounds and their ability to mask noise (Galbrun et al 2012 P2154). Water fountains have been used as a landscape element in open public spaces and have been proved to have endless effects in colouring the soundscape (Kang 2007 P98). Kang et al’s soundscaping research carried out in Europe from summer 6
2001 to spring 2002 shows many squares have used water fountains as a way to mask noise. Figure 3 shows The Peace Gardens in Sheffield where a fountain was used for noise masking.
Fig 3.The Pearce Gardens in Sheffield
3.3. Seating
(Gehl, 2011. Whyte, 1980)
Through designing a multipurpose city furnishing with different opportunities in use, squares can be used as a form of ‘sitting landscapes’ (Gehl 2011 P162). According to Whyte’s research, a square offering the most seating along with sunlight and open space will be the busiest (Whyte 1980 P26). People walking through the square tend to choose to sit if the area is providing an enjoyable atmosphere (Gehl 2011 P159). Whyte’s research has confirmed that ‘the most popular plazas tend to have considerably 7
more sitting spaces than the less used ones’. He also suggested that ‘people tend to sit most where there are places to sit’ (Whyte 1980 P26-28). The most striking squares with attractive aesthetics and active frontages cannot encourage people to sit if there is no place for sitting. Seating can be anything from a bench to stairs to a concrete ledge as long as they are designed appropriately. Whyte suggested the best way to produce informal seating is by creating flat surfaces around 80cm, wide enough for people to sit on both sides without feeling too close to one another (Whyte 1980 P29-31). As figure 4 demonstrates, 345 Park Avenue in New York offers a tremendous choice of informal sitting arrangements. Simple flat surfaces that also work as steps have been introduced to function as sitting spaces. Another example is figure 5, Trafalgar Square in London. Here, informal seating has been introduced through the existence of the fountain and sculptures.
Fig 4. 345 Park Avenue in New York, flat surface being used as seating.
Fig 5. Trafalgar Squae in London, Fountain ledge being used as seating.
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3.4. Landmark
(Carmona, 2003. Moughtin, 1999. Sitte, 1889)
All landmarks share similar qualities; they are usually a simply defined three-dimensional objects such as a tower or a sculpture. Landmarks have an important role in creating a memorable urban landscape (Moughtin et al 1999 P103-104). Most cities are making an effort to place sculptures or decorative fountains in their squares to create an identity for the area (Moughtin et al 1999 Pvii). Camillo Sitte’s (1889) suggested providing a focus, such as a monumental landmark, off-centre in a square to keep the centre vacant (Carmona et al 2003 P143), simply due to the desire to leave the line of vision free and not blocked by monuments. He believed by situating a monument in the centre of a square, not only would the monument interfere with the view of surrounding buildings but the buildings would destroy the pleasurable view gained by the monument (Canniffee 2010). Sitte believed that positioning a landmark off-centre would be more aesthetically pleasing (Carmona et al 2003 P143). A recent example of a monument being created off-centre in a square is ‘Cloud Gate’ sculpture built in 2004 in Millennium Park Plaza in Chicago (FIG 6). Soon after being created it became Chicago’s most photographed attraction and is now a famous symbol of the city (Downing 2013). 9
Fig 6. Cloud Gate sculpture, 2004, Chicago
3.5. Landscaping
(Carmona, 2012. Gehl, 2011. Moughtin, 2005. Whyte, 1980)
To improve the aesthetics of a square or any other urban open space, landscaping can be used to home trees and plants creating a link for city residents towards the natural world while improving the aesthetics of the area (Carmona et al 2012 P22). Landscaping and use of vegetation can help to improve air quality, provide shelter and shade, create wildlife habitats and of course enhance property values (Moughtin 2005 P79). The use of trees and vegetation in a public space is undoubtedly vital in 10
creating a visually pleasant space (Polackova 2012 P282). In squares trees must be provided in proportion to the open space to avoid causing overshadowing. Whyte’s research suggested that the best-used squares are those offering a pleasant view and a pleasurable comfort (Whyte 1980 P46). An example of a well-landscaped square is Red Soils Plaza in Oregon, USA. The square consists of many aesthetically pleasing features. Not only is it surrounded by vegetation and greenery but also a beautiful water feature is situated on the sunny side of the plaza is the primary focal point (FIG 7). The use of both formal (chairs) and informal (ledges) seating has been used in designing this square (FIG 7). A stainless steel sculpture is located is located at the end of the square (FIG 8).
Fig 7. Red Soil Plaza in Oregon, Water feature, formal and informal seating
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Fig 8. Red Soil Plaza in Oregon, Steel sculpture situated on the side of the site
4.
Redesigning Frideswide Square
Frideswide Square is located in the West End Quarter of Oxford. It is one of Oxford’s most important public open spaces, however it currently is being dominated by congestion. The design team used the approaches mentioned above to redesign Frideswide Square into a more successful, pleasant open space. The main design concept was to prioritise open spaces and to design buildings around these areas. By doing so, the design team hopes to encourage people to spend time outside built environments to enjoy the existence of open spaces, whether it is by walk12
ing, cycling or simply by sitting down. As shown in the proposed Masterplan (FIG 9) open spaces have been prioritised over buildings whether it is by creating courtyards, improving the existing park, maximising the width of pedestrian walkways or recreating Frideswide Square. Currently Frideswide Square lacks any sense of community while it is capable of being a lively and welcoming area. Oxford Railway station is situated at the North West of the square, making Frideswide Square the gateway to Oxford. Said Business School is located at the North of the square. If the redevelopment of the square is visually pleasant, the existence of Said Business School on the edge of the square will be very beneficial. It will be ensuring that the square will be busy during the daytime and the sense of community will increase. Whyte’s approach to creating eating opportunities in a square was used to increase the sense of community within the area (FIG 10). Although Frideswide Square has very high chances of becoming a successful and busy square, the design team had to take in mind a few existing issues before designing. Due to the congestion being created by cars, there is a high level of unpleasant noise that could be a massive factor if not taken in mind. To reduce the noise level the design team used the approach suggested by Galbrun et al to propose water features on both sides of the square to mask undesirable noises (FIG 11), as well as reducing the speed limit. 13
RAMP DOWN
RAMP UP
Key, Site Boundary Blue Network
D
Green Network Trees/Hedges Roads and Parking Pavement
Proposed Buildings Open space for landscaping Existing Roads Proposed Minor Roads Proposed Main Road Proposed River Side Walkway Improved Bicycle Lanes
N
Fig 9. Proposed Masterplan for the redevelopment of West End Quarter, Oxford
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Fig 10. Frideswide Square, image showing proposed Starbucks to increase the sense of community within the area
Fig 11. Frideswide Square, image showing proposed water features on both sides of the square to reduce and mask the undesirable noises
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Fig 12. Frideswide Square, image showing the proposed landscaping for the area
Fig 13. Frideswide Square, image showing the proposed landscaping for the area
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As suggested by Whyte the most striking squares with attractive aesthetics and active frontages cannot encourage people to sit if there is no place for sitting. The design team used this approach to ensure that there is plenty of ‘informal’ seating such as a simple flat surface wide enough to sit a person on each side, seating around a fountain and sculptures as seating – the use of ‘formal’ seating such as benches was declined in the square design to avoid creating a dead looking area at night. The design team also used the approach of proposing a sculptural landmark for the square to create an individual identity for it. It is important to have a well-landscaped square to create a visually desirable area. As Whyte research confirmed the best-used squares are those offering a pleasant view and a pleasurable comfort. The design team used this approach to ensure that Frideswide square is well landscaped (FIG 16).
5. Conclusion In conclusion, Squares are one of the most important elements in cityscape and they have introduced valuable open spaces into towns and cities. If successful, squares help to decorate and construct an identity for an area as well as creating a sense of community. For a square to to be successful it is important to be aesthetically pleasing, research has shown people want to spend time where the area offers the most enjoyable atmosphere. 17
A public square should offer a peaceful sanctuary from hectic life, making a welldesigned and landscaped square fundamental. Sense of community within an urban public square is vital; a lively square with activities will automatically become the destination for people to meet and spend time in. The design team have used different approaches in creating a successful square to recreate this area.
FIG 14. A. Starbucks Coffee B. Seating, wide enough to be sat on both sides C. Sculptural Landmark, Can be used as seating D. Water Feature, seating around the fountain E. Sculptural Landmark, Can be used as seating F. Seating, wide enough to be sat on both sides G. Seating, wide enough to be sat on both sides H. Sculptural Landmark, Can be used as seating I. Water Feature, seating around the fountain J. Sculptural Landmark, Can be used as seating K. Seating, wide enough to be sat on both sides
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17
Fig 15. Frideswide Square, image showing the proposed design for the area
B i b l i o g r a p h y
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