In 1939, new setback requirements and roadway expansions made the site of Triangle Park unusable for private buildings. Originally subdivided into three lots with two-story buildings, the site has since been entrusted to the Kansas City Parks and Recreation department to be protected as community space. But while Triangle Park is technically part of the public space of the city, and is maintained by a local resident, the space is not utilized. Public space acts as the stage for life in the city—it is where people interact, ideas are shared, and from this we develop our relationship of self to the city. The importance of open space as the site for public forums is an important aspect of the city, which Colin Rowe describes as “a combination of complex networks that are only successful when all live for the collective whole.”1
106 ENVI SI ONI NG TH E CITY