Public Space Magazine
A place to think about mind and matters

This Space is Occupied

Seattle Washington Sculpture

People like to sit where
there are places for them to sit.
William Whyte

Photo by David Hodgson, benches series

The most attractive fountains, the most striking features cannot induce people to sit if there is no place to sit.
It is okay if a pedestrian flows bisects a sitable place. In fact, that is where people will most likely sit. If a place is well designed some congestion is an amiable one and a testimonial to the place. In other words, circulation and sitting in sum are not antithetical, but complementary.
Photo by David Hodgson, benches series
People like to have conversations, some protests and complaints, and watch other people. The benefits of getting out of the house and having a level of participation sitting on a humble bench, especially for the elderly, are a large payback in terms of healthcare and democracy.

The Sit Experience

The Muu bike concept with an ipad conserves space, celebrates mobility, offers a work station(and maybe fewer cars), and can be installed just about anywhere
Movable chairs open up public space in likely and unlikely places for events or for opportunistic uses of public space.
Reuse materials popular with designers
Made with rejected fire horses sitting means hanging, floating, swinging, laying – one size fits all ages.”

Hong Kong Layers

Hong Kong has limited space hence layering with Cascade seating that brings warmth and intimacy to a monolithic concrete building and stairs, showing the potential of staircases

Parklets such as this one in in San Francisco claim concrete side walks creating restful stops that ease traffic noise.
Relaxing, consuming, and creating.
Public Entertainers draw all ages together.

RESOURCES

Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William H. Whyte

What makes public spaces fail and what makes them succeed? FBW Fund For a Better Waterfront, Ron Hine (2013) William H. Whyte’s classic 1980 study of New York’s public spaces started a mini-revolution in urban planning and design.

New York City has street seats and some nice indoor atriums as well as good public access points with seating.

sfbetterstreets.org. Benches and Seating - A guide to making street improvments in San Francisco. Seating should be integrated with other elements. The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs (1961)

Can Sidewalks and Benches Spur Social Change? Project for Public Spaces, Megan Maciver, Feb. 24, 2010. In cities burdened with poverty and unrest, or even war, it's easy to dismiss urban amenities like benches and smooth sidewalks as luxuries that can come only after other, more urgent problems. But an example of what the humble bench can accomplish is found in the streets of Amman Jordon where diverse people come together and new connections and a sense of belonging as well as safety are forged. Macciver says this is neutral space, just sitting around, where social change is formed.
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