Open Space: The Neglected Void in Urban Design
Many designers and architects view public space as the empty areas between buildings that are publicly owned. However, many of these spaces are abandoned, useless, or dangerous, rendering them ineffective as public spaces. Town planning norms often fail to treat open space as a functional part of the urban setting, with many open spaces lacking a specific program, hierarchy, or activity. As a result, many open spaces are under-maintained, scary, and dead, designed for mugging. Kevin Lynch's theory about the visual aspects of the cityscape suggests that ease of recognition and the ability to arrange parts into a coherent pattern are crucial to the visual dimension of open spaces. However, Henry Shaftoe argues that many of the spaces that people love contain variety and diversity, both in built form and activity, and that coherent space should have variety and diversity. Therefore, place-making should consider both aesthetic and functional aspects to make a place socially sustainabl...