"Social Life of Small Urban Places"

[monotonehell]

Have a look at this old study from 1979 US. It's a study of urban spaces. You think the issues we've been talking about on here the past few years are new, building's street interaction for example? Think again. This study sounds like a recap of the past 3 years in here.

As a bonus the narrator sounds like something out of a classic Disney movie. Only catch is at 60mins most of you with ADD wont stick it out.

http://vimeo.com/12262790
password is 'whyte'

[Wayno]

Mono, thanks for posting this video. I suppressed my ADD tendencies, watched it all, and i'm glad i did. This would rate well on prime time TV. Also love that the narrator sounds like William Burroughs.

I took away several points, but this one hit home from an Adelaide perspective: There exists a tendency to over scale, which i believe is exactly what's happening with our riverfront. It's not being designed to suit our current population or medium-term prospects. A key takeaway was the need to create activity at places where people already naturally gather. Now maybe the AO redevelopment & footbridge will create a natural gathering point, but i believe it's folly to focus 'way out west' at the convention centre.

Some other key principles:

• * Make the most of ledges, elevate them slightly from their surrounds, and make them 2 people deep
  * Allow and encourage irregularity or "How I hate those who are dedicated to producing conformity" as Burroughs would say
  * Lots of chairs in the public realm, not just within cafes, and let them be moved around (Prince George will love that one )
  * The sun makes a difference, but only when an absence makes sitting uncomfortable. What's more important is *light*, which when reflected works equally as well.
  * Make use of water - for playing with, not policing.

Interestingly there was no mention in the video of traffic calming, car parking, public transport.

[monotonehell]

Interestingly there was no mention in the video of traffic calming, car parking, public transport.

Their scope was limited to examining open pedestrian spaces, or possibly those things didn't occur to them? There were some mentions of how the facilities for cars got in the way of the use of spaces.

A key takeaway was the need to create activity at places where people already naturally gather.

Yes I noted that as well. Did you see the part on pocket parks? How people walked past, but then in.

I think the narrator was a little preoccupied with how the men and women interacted

[Wayno]

A key takeaway was the need to create activity at places where people already naturally gather.

Yes I noted that as well. Did you see the part on pocket parks? How people walked past, but then in.

Yes, some faltered, others stopped dead in their tracks, almost in shock - but in a pleasant way Many accelerated into the park with childish glee.

Definitely something to be learned there, and i don't just mean about needing to have active spaces. For example, would the approach of 'a pocket park for a sake of activating an area' be supported in Adelaide in these times of financial frugality & accountability? Seems there exists an implicit mandate to couple activation with sales from the get go, rather than from a cause & effect perspective. Dollars must be made from day #1 or it's not worthwhile. Unfortunately I believe this tends to result in designs of 'regularity' which the narrator clearly & repeatedly states is a major detractor from a space being considered attractive. Does it have to be that way? can we have a focus on activation and sales and make it work? i believe so, but it might mean we need to break some 'rules of tradition' along the way.

Just my meandering opinion.

[Prince George]

BTW, the narrator (William Whyte) is the spiritual father of the Project for Public Spaces. I've had the chance to read his book City: rediscovering the center, which was both full of solid factual research and written in an egaging manner, much like the narration he gives in this short film.