What makes a public space successful?

Great public space are where celebrations are held, social and economic exchanges take place, friends run into each other, and cultures mix. They are where we interact with each other and government. When the spaces work well, they serve as a stage for our public lives. Project for public spaces has found successful public spaces have four key qualities, these are accessible, people are engaged in activities there, the space is comfortable and has a good image and finally it is a sociable place, one where people meet each other and take people when they come to visit.

The following diagram is used in judging a place good or bad. It highlights the above four key qualities and expands on the qualitative or intuitive aspects of a place and then the quantitative aspects which can be measured by research and statistics.

Access and Linkage:

The accessibility of a place can be judged by its connections to its surroundings, both visual and physical.  A successful public place is easy to get to and get through.

Comfort and image:

This quality is essential to the success of a space. Comfort includes perceptions about safety, cleanliness and the availability of places to sit. It is important to give people the choice of where to sit as options makes people feel more comfortable than having to conform to what one person’s ideal of comfort is.

Use and Activity:

Having something to do gives people a reason to come to a place. And from experiencing a place with a positive atmosphere once they are likely to return.

Sociability:

This is a difficult quality for a place to achieve, but once attained it becomes an unmistakable feature. When people see friends, meet and greet their neighbors, and feel comfortable interacting with strangers, they tend to feel a stronger sense of place or attachment to their community – and to the place that fosters these types of social activities.

Therefore the incorporation of all these aspects creates a place and space in which people enjoy and fosters a sense of community spirit and gives atmosphere to the area.