The Importance of Public Spaces
“A good city is like a good party — people stay longer than really necessary, because they are enjoying themselves”
— Jan Gehl
Public spaces are an important asset to our cities. They provide people many opportunities to come together and engage with the community. If public spaces are successful they are inclusive of the diversity of groups present in our cities and create a social space for everyone in the society to participate in.
There are many factors that contribute to a successful public space, some factors (supported by Project for Public Spaces) are:
The accessibility of the space
This includes how welcoming the space is and whether people can access the space the way they feel comfortable in. This includes disability access and making a space for everyone regardless of their circumstances to be a part of the society through public space. One good way to ensure public spaces are accessible is to provide good seating in them so that people can enjoy the space for a long time and seek respite (as illustrated in the images below).
