Social life in small urban spaces

THE SOCIAL LIFE OF SMALL URBAN SPACES

Why are some cities' public spaces user-friendly and well-functioning, while others are not?
This book is about urban space, and the conclusions drawn are all obtained through direct observation.
In 1970, William H. White established a research group called the Street Life Project to observe the city's public spaces. The observations began with New York City's parks, playgrounds, and informal recreational areas within its neighborhoods over a 10-year period.
What makes a city's public spaces vibrant or dull? What attracts people? What turns them off? Sunlight is important for a city's public spaces, as are trees, water, access to snacks, and a place to sit. This may not sound surprising, but White's 10 years of observation have shown that these elements are even more crucial than we might imagine.
We cannot stop urban sprawl.
For environmentalists, protecting the countryside is just as important as protecting the cities because if people find cities uninhabitable, as has happened in the past in the United States, they will leave the cities and move to the countryside and suburbs.
As White observed, the ubiquity of small spaces in cities can have a significant impact on the quality of urban life. Urban public spaces are places where people gather, not projects. Therefore, when we design new small urban spaces or renovate existing ones, we must consider people and their uses.
Like "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" is still a must-read classic recommended by many national urban planning associations.

2016-03-01

上海译文出版社

176

9787532770519