Public Space

Public spaces encourage events such as festivals, exhibitions, town meetings and markets. In return, these public activities unite the community and create a lively environment. How much space does your community allow for public gathering? Print a map of your community or neighborhood in black and white. Color all the solid buildings in black. Look at the remaining voided spaces. Are there a lot of voided spaces or not enough? Color these green. Take some time to explore…see if these green spaces are actual parks, public spaces, vacant lots or privately-used. Research other cities and see how many voided areas pop out to you. Is your city a lot more dense with solids than others?

Try and raise awareness to your local community about the importance of public space by showing them your maps of other cities.

From the first activity, notice if you were able to find any successful public spaces within your community. Were there many people occupying the space? Or was it lifeless?

Research successful public spaces and take note of their qualities. Are there places to sit? Is it near a popular building or area? Is it near public transportation?

Print out a picture or sketch an image of this space in your journal . Mark the areas of success as well as the negative areas of the space. Would you spend a lot of your time there? What makes a good public space?

Evaluate all kinds of spaces!

Ever notice how many parking garages are in an urban city? Check out the map of Chicago’s parking facilities.

How does it compare to the public spaces throughout the entire city? Go around your community, and take some photographs of a parking garage or a parking lot that would serve as a perfect opportunity for an outdoor public space. Now collage, paint or draw over these photos (it may be easiest to print in black and white). What kind of public space can you create? Think back to the previous activity of what makes a successful public space. Make sure to include plenty of creative seating opportunities and furniture (like fountains!)

Tear down a parking lot! Put up paradise!

Every city has public spaces which are places for people. They are places for people to gather, sit, converse, or relax. Some public spaces are for different age groups such as small children, teenagers, and young adults. Some spaces are for playing chess, reading the newspaper or a book, or taking a lunch break. Public spaces build a relationship with a community by bringing people together. Some public spaces are interior and others are exterior. Building lobbies today are often offered as public meeting spaces and spaces for collaborations. Exterior public spaces include plazas, squares, steps, pedestrian streets, pocket parks, recreation fields, natural areas, and green spaces.

Draw a long with this public place introduction and upload your drawing to the gallery!

Become an explorer of public spaces in your community.

• Public spaces are designed for the gathering of all people, cultures and generations.
  • True
  • False
• Only 10% of our lives are spent outdoors.
  • True
  • False
• Parking garages are more important than public spaces.
  • True
  • False
• Public spaces are sustainable and bring life to an urban environment.
  • True
  • False
• Before cars were invented, much of urban life took place on the streets.
  • True
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