PLANNING
• Safe: The aspect of safety in any public space is sustainable when active policing and security measures are not absolutely essential for keeping out incidents of crime. In other words factors such as its location, nature of surrounding activities, presence of people work together to make a space inherently safe. • Accessible: Great public spaces can be accessed by a variety of transportation modes other than private vehicles – on foot, by bicycles, through transit. Such places are located within walking distances of transit stops and residential areas. • Engaging: Through the nature of activities generated, the most successful public spaces engage people of different age groups – children, retirees, joggers, executives, dog walkers, business owners, students and so on. • Imageable: Imageability is the quality of a place which makes it distinct and memorable. Landscape design, public art installations in public places are some of the tools for enhancing imageability. • Community involvement: Key to the process for creating successful public places is community ownership. Active involvement of local communities in the conception and design of the spaces which serve them is an essential aspect of building cohesive and socially integrated communities.
With Halcrow/ CH2M HILL, Mumbai, India
While the creation of public spaces begins with allocation of areas for social amenities, that by itself is not sufficient to create quality public spaces. Presence of people and the variety of activities they engage in is a key indicator of successful public spaces. Places where public activities thrive need to be designed to be successful – by being safe, accessible, engaging and imageable.
PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS
Utilizing Social Amenity Allocations to Create Successful Public Spaces