U The neglected ‘place

U

The neglected ‘place’

The structure of the highstreet. Although as mentioned previously, the ‘street’ has two main purposes -- place and circulation, the ‘place’ aspect has been largely ignored. Take the ‘highstreet’ for example -- most highstreets do not have a strong identity, merely a main road with shops flanking it. Is there sufficient gathering space or street furniture for people to relax and socialize? No, for the fear of the homeless taking over, for the fear of vandalism, for the fear of it turning into a gathering spot for troublesome youths.

The important question would then be:

How can the street be re-looked at?

Perhaps, the emphasis on circulation and efficiency has eroded values of place. Parks and squares have a stronger ‘place’ as compared to streets mainly because they encourage deceleration, physically and mentally. A momentarily distraction from the face paced lifestyle many have come to be used to. To do so, perhaps we should look at the inherent structure of the highstreet to nip the problem at its roots.