What%20if%20we%20built%20our%20communities%20around%20spaces%20 %20project%20for%20public%20spaces%2

What if We Built our Communities around Places ?

Mass Smart Growth Alliance PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES June 23rd, 2011

We Have to Turn Everything Upside Down - To Get it Right Side Up

Place-making is an incredibly complex art. When people talk glibly about sustainable communities, there are very few people that can actually make that happen because it requires a lot of effort, it requires a lot of learning, it requires a lot of experience.

Prince Charles PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

When you focus on a place, you do everything differently.

Wonderful, Transformative Times  

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An opportunity to fix and redefine communities around Local Values and Assets The competition to build great communities around Authentic “Public” Destinations is the “New”/”Old” Agenda There is a growing interest in connecting Green with Place…or Placemaking with Sustainability, Smart Growth, Community Health Placemaking, Power of 10, and Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper are the new tools

Creating a Great City – Some Uncommon Truths 

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Develop/ lead demand with public destinations The value created by the public realm destinations will drive the success of the project.

Place Capital as a primary focus to best achieve larger goals Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper

“Converging Ideas around Place” “The blunt calculation by public officials that if they can’t make their downtowns and neighborhoods appealing, they can’t compete… all of these hinge on the deceptively simple challenge of creating places… that people intuitively like.”

-- Governing Magazine

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

36 Years of Placemaking    

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50 U.S. States, 7 Canadian Provinces 40 Countries 2500 Communities 2 Million visitors to our web sites (2008) 35,000 people get our electronic newsletter

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PPS Program Areas and Transformative Agendas Program Areas:

Transformative Agendas:

• Transportation • Public Markets • Civic Centers • Parks • Downtowns • Mixed-Use Developments • Campuses • Squares • Waterfronts

Building Community Through Transportation Public Markets and Local Economies Community Anchors / Architecture of Place Creating Public Multi-Use Destinations PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

William H. (Holly) Whyte 

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The Organization Man,1956 The Exploding Metropolis, 1958 The Last Landscape, 1968 Plan for the City of New York, 1969 The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 1980 City: Rediscovering the Center, 1988

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Blank walls are an end in themselves. They declare the supremacy of architecture over humanity, of a building over a person.

Museum of Modern Art - NYC PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Benches are artifacts, the purpose of which is to punctuate architectural photographs. They are not so good for sitting.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

“What attracts people most it would appear, is other people.�

One of the best things about water is the look and feel of it…It’s not right to put water before people and then keep them away from it.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

If you want to seed a place with activity, put out food.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

If no one wants to go out to the Park, no one is going to stop them. ─ Yogi Berra

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

It’s hard for people to realize that creating a place is more important than design. ─ PPS

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

The street is the river of life, the place where we come to together, the pathway to the center. – William H. Whyte PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

What if we Built our Communities around Happiness and Community Wellbeing?

Comfort and Amenities

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Overarching Ideas      

Placemaking Process / The Community is the Expert Convergence Benefits of Great Squares and Streets Power of 10 Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

We Have to Turn Everything Upside Down - To Get it Right Side Up

Placemaking Tools to Transform Communities  Power

of 10  Place Performance Evaluation Game  Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper  Crowd-Sourcing APPS PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Placemaking

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

When you focus on a place, you do everything differently.

Providence, RI

Peck Street

1 2 Ship Street Inlet

Bridge

3

4

Eastern Park

Site 3-Pedestrian Bridge       

Scenic outlooks/Kissing Places “beer garden” Local merchants/vendors Fishing Floating boat docks Picnic tables and benches Waterfire boathouse

What is Placemaking? 

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Placemaking is a dynamic human function: it is an act of liberation, of staking claim, and of beautification; it is true human empowerment.

Placemaking is turning a neighborhood, town or city from a place you can’t wait to get through to one you never want to leave.

“Placemaking� is an overarching idea and a hands-on tool for improving a Neighborhood, City or Region. It has the potential to be one of the most transformative ideas of this century

Metropolitan Planning Council - Chicago

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

What Makes a Great Place? street life evening use volunteerism Welcoming Cooperative Neighborly

Key Attributes

Intangibles Measurements

business ownership property values land-use patterns retail sales Fun Active Vital Special Real

uses & activities

sociability PLACE access & linkages Connected Walkable Convenient Accessible transit usage pedestrian activity parking usage patterns

comfort & image Safe Charm Clean Attractive Historic crime stats sanitation rating building conditions PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES environmental data

The Benefits of Place Builds Local Economies

Nurtures a Sense of Community Improves Safety and Security

PLACE Enhances Accessibility for All

Draws a Diverse Population

Fosters Meaningful Interaction

Place Performance Game

Place / Community Driven Approac

Project/Discipline Driven Approach • Empowers Communities • Attracts partners, money & creative solutions • Professionals become resources • Design supports uses • Solutions are flexible • Engagement and commitment grow

Convergence

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Convergence of Movements Community Development & Smart Growth Energy & Consumption

Civil Society/ Democracy Building

Public Health and Community Livability

Environmental Sustainability

PLACES

Local Economies

Historic Preservation

Local Food Systems Transportation & Land Use PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Power of 10 Region/City/Town/ Neighborhood Destinations

Place

10+ destinations 10+ places

10+ things to do Layering of uses to create synergy (Triangulation) =

District PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Power of 10

1. Read the paper

2. Window shopping for books

3. Learn about upcoming events

5. Walk

4. Go inside!

10. Have a conversation 6. Sit and relax 7. Read someone else’s book

8. Take a break from a bike ride

9. Pet a dog

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Singapore - 10 Sites

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Power of 10 Destinations 1980

Power of 10 Destinations Today

Transformative Agendas

Toward Architecture of Place Community Anchors PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

A Tale of Two Libraries

Shifting Context of Libraries HISTORICALLY

FUTURE

Information is scarce

Information is everywhere

Precious resource

Taken for granted

Social mandate

Social/economic mandate

Communities need Libraries

Libraries need Communities

Libraries/ City Halls as The Town Square 

Public Gathering Place

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Marketplace

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Community Service Center

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Communication and Language Skills Center

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Community StoryTeller/Civic Information Center

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Business Service & Development Center

“I Don’t Want To Hear About Green Buildings Any More?”

“Sustainability is simply an extension of the technocratic society we find ourselves in.”

Christopher Alexander

An Architecture of Place Is it sustainable?

Has it minimized its impact?

Does it use the most ecological materials?

Does it celebrate “nature�?

We should also be asking questions like: Does the building/project generate life?

Does it support its context (built, cultural, historical, social, economic, place)?

Does it support people and their comfort?

Melbourne – Council Building 2

Transformative Agendas

Streets as Places Thinking Beyond the Station PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

When you design your community around cars‌you get more cars.

When you design your community around people ‌ you get more people.

From Adequate to Extraordinary

Main Street

Littleton, NH

Cottage Street

Shared Streets Drachten, Holland

“The only way to make a busy road intersection safe is to make it feel dangerous.”

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Shared Streets Drachten, Holland

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Actual Crashes

STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

“If you want vehicles to behave like they are in a village, build a village.”

"Essentially, what it means is a transfer of power and responsibility from the state to the individual and the community.

-Hans Monderman STREETS AS PLACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Roundabout – Stavanger, Norway

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Delray Beach - Corners

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Transformative Opportunities

Markets,Local Economies, Local Food Hubs PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Queen’s Birthday, Netherlands

Vondelpark, Amsterdam

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Graham Street Market – Hong Kong

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Barcelona

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Types of Markets 1. Open Air   

Parking lots/Vacant sites Parks and other public spaces Street markets (with/without adjacent retail)

2. Covered Markets 3. Market Halls  

Structures Built for Markets Re-use/building conversions

4. Market Districts

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Benefit of market to community (customer’s view) 28.2%

30.0% 25.0% 20.0%

17.7% 15.0%

13.7%

15.0%

12.2%

12.6%

11.1%

10.0% 5.1%

5.9%

5.0% 0.0%

es n i s Bu

t y s s ce en m es n o ti ie n m e sh on in ni un c e a e t t r v E r r F n te po el p n p Co o E H s

ic Pr

e

s er ct er h u t h O et od og Pr t e pl o e sp g PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES in r B

Start up cost for market vendors 28%

30% 25%

22%

20%

16% 13%

15%

11%

10%

10% 5% 0% $0-100

$101-500

$5011,000

$10015,000

$5,00110,000

>$10,000

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Facades created by set- designers

Gabriel’s Wharf London, England 

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Began with concrete garages, used a set-design company to add facades created a community of work/sell spaces price workshop units close to the price of a studio apartment or extra room on an apartment

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told artisans, jewelers, sculptors, and leather designers to put their work in the windows to appeal to the heavier foot traffic on the weekends it’s packed!

Transformative Agendas

Multi-Use Public Destinations PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

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Need a multi use destination

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

Characteristics of Great Public Spaces • Good places breed healthy activity.

• People attract people attract people.

• When you focus on place, you do everything differently.

• It takes many disciplines and skills to create a place.

• It takes a community to create a place.

• Amenities that make a place comfortable are critical.

• You can’t know what you are going to end up with.

• Each place has its own identity.

• You can’t have anything less than excellence.

• You have to have zealous nuts.

• It has to be a…

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

It has to be a Campaign Develop a vision

Become great communicators

Attack Complacency

Organize a strong team

Search for impediments

Produce short term wins

Take on bigger challenges

Connect change to the culture of the community

People Who Make Dramatic Change By John Kotter

We Have to Turn Everything Upside Down - To Get it Right Side Up

www.pps.org Making Places

Publications & Resources

Newsletter

Training & Conferences

Qualities of Great Squares 

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Traffic, Transit & the Pedestrian The Inner Park & the Outer Park

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Attractions & Destinations

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Identity & Image

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Flexibility in Design

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Amenities

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Management: Central to the Solution

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Seasonal Strategy

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Diverse Funding Sources

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Reach out like an octopus

Traffic, Transit & the Pedestrian ď Ž

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Connected to adjacent areas Range of transportation options

The Inner & the Outer Square  

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Active edge uses Gateways and entrances Focal points

Creating Great Civic Spaces

Attractions & Destinations  

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Choices of things to do Triangulation opportunities Clustered activity around destinations 10+ places

Creating Great Civic Spaces

Identity & Image   

Showcase local assets District signage Historic highlights

Flexible Design 

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Overlapping and changing uses Form that supports function Experiment

Management: Central to the Solution

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Management presence through:  Security & Maintenance  Ongoing improvements  Programming

Creating Great Civic Spaces

Seasonal Strategies   

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Flower Show Skating Rink Fashion Show Xmas Market Antique Show Play Equipment Cultural Festivals

Creating Great Civic Spaces

Diverse Funding Base •Public support sponsorship In•Private Kind Donations •Broad partnerships 17%

Security -City Funding 23%

Facility Parks Department 6%

Tenant Leases 24%

Event Sponsorships 12%

Event Rentals 18%

Reach out like an Octopus 

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Becoming a district 10+ Destinations w/ 10+ places 10+ things to do

Amenities    

Attracts cross-section of users Source of local/regional civic pride Comfortable places to sit Food and markets

11 Principles of Creating Great Public Spaces 1.

The community is the expert

2.

You are creating a place not just a design

3.

You can’t do it alone

4.

They always say it can’t be done

Planning & Outreach Techniques

5.

You can see a lot just by observing

6.

Develop a placemaking vision

Translating Ideas Into Action

7.

Power of 10/Triangulation

8.

Form supports function

9.

Start with the petunias

10.

Money is not the issue

11.

You are never finished

Underlying Ideas

Implementation

11 Principles of Creating Great Public Spaces 1. The community is the expert Underlying Ideas

2. You are creating a place not just a design 3. You can’t do it alone 4. They always say it can’t be done

11 Principles of Creating Great Public Spaces Planning & Outreach Techniques

5. You can see a lot just by observing 6. Develop a placemaking vision – Place Performance Evaluation Game

11 Principles of Creating Great Public Spaces Translating Ideas Into Action

7. Form supports function 8. Power of 10/Triangulation

11 Principles of Creating Great Public Spaces Implementation

9. Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper 10. Money is not the issue 11. You are never finished