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
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
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
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
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?
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
Marketplace
Community Service Center
Communication and Language Skills Center
Community StoryTeller/Civic Information Center
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
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
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
яБо
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
Traffic, Transit & the Pedestrian The Inner Park & the Outer Park
Attractions & Destinations
Identity & Image
Flexibility in Design
Amenities
Management: Central to the Solution
Seasonal Strategy
Diverse Funding Sources
Reach out like an octopus
Traffic, Transit & the Pedestrian ď Ž
ď Ž
Connected to adjacent areas Range of transportation options
The Inner & the Outer Square
Active edge uses Gateways and entrances Focal points
Creating Great Civic Spaces
Attractions & Destinations
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
Overlapping and changing uses Form that supports function Experiment
Management: Central to the Solution
Management presence through: Security & Maintenance Ongoing improvements Programming
Creating Great Civic Spaces
Seasonal Strategies
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
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