The art of making people friendly places

Places for People - evidence based design - contents					©Anne R. Beer 2003


That spaces become places happens over time as much by accident as design. However, if they are to become places that people like to use in new and regenerated areas of cities and within building complexes themselves, spaces need to be designed to support the experiential as well as physical needs of present and future users. This seems obvious, but in so many building schemes we continue to find failed public places; spaces which are rejected by their users. This rejection is linked to the unnecessary cost to society of either upgrading these spaces or maintaining them. This tutorial aims to be of assistance to those involved in the design process: to the clients and users as much as to their site planners and designers, as well as to environmental psychology researchers seeking new areas of research interest. It tries to identify what we know about people's experience of their immediate environment when they are within public spaces and also indicates the presumptions made about human reactions within public spaces through a lack of fundamental research. It is only an overview and the reader is directed to relevant published sources for further information and study. The ideas presented here are applicable to the way that every type of public space - large/small, indoor/outdoor, civic space/greenspace - is designed. Where appropriate an attempt is made to identify some basic principles which might guide the design process. This is not a recipe book; it is, however, meant to make those involved in design think more deeply about how users will experience the spaces they make and help them to be aware of the growing body of research to support their decision making. The presentation draws on the author's experience as an environmental planner and lecturer over a thirty five year period. It was originally prepared as notes for students of the Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield. This online presentation is in six parts. The parts can be accessed by clicking on the menu at the top of the page. Each part contains sections which can be accessed from the menu on each page or directly from this contents page. CONTENTS
Liveable public spaces Introduction, scope and approach Ideas about design The cost to society of failed designs Liveability and design Defining terms Information needs User needs Design guidance - UK Making places The quality of the 'public realm' How can we design user-friendly places Designs based on user needs	Behavioural Settings Settings Diverse spaces City spaces Experiences Factors involved Landmarks Perception of Place Nature Human preference Preference People's choice Fitting purposes Participation Satisfaction Professionals' preference	User needs Settings and users Activities Assessing user needs Safety Stranger High density Security Seeing spaces Designing for Children's Play in Housing Areas Designing for the less able bodied	Good cities Perceptions Landmark buildings Art and design in public spaces Places for Pedestrian What's wrong ?	Local spaces Benefits of open spaces Attitudes Site planning criteria	External areas High density housing A change of approach User zones The doorstep User reactions Design approach The home The garden Corridors
The Art of making places	Research for design	Assessing user needs	Useable city places	Urban greenspace	Residential - spaces

© Anne .R. Beer, latest update 7 Mar 2007	Text and Photographs (unless stated otherwise) © Anne R. Beer, all rights reserved. Terms of use: Any involved in education or training may copy the contents of these webpages, with the proviso that they always make reference to the original copyright