By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard “In ancient times… public squares, or plazas, were… of prime necessity, for they were theaters for the principal scenes of public life.” Camillo Sitte[1]. “… there must be open spaces that provide a fitting stage for the drama of daily life.” August Heckscher[2]. Lively social life in the community requires … Read more
Did you miss the conference in Santa Fe but wish you could still read the papers and view the slideshows? Perhaps you attended the conference but didn't get a chance to see all the presentations and wish you could fill in the gaps. In either case, the eConference is your ticket! Who is the eConference … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard The entrance into a neighborhood square is designed to create the experience that you have arrived at the heart of the community, and that you need go no further. A vista into the square from an adjacent street should reveal the life on the square, the sunlight, bright umbrellas, children … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard To be successful, a neighborhood square must be designed for people. It must feel like the community’s living room – lively, safe, comfortable and hospitable. It must facilitate social interaction and foster a sense of community identity. To achieve these goals, enclosure, sunlight and shade, protection from inclement weather, and … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard Size It is important to decide on the size of the square in relation to two interdependent factors: 1) the social functions and population for which the square is designed; and 2) the height of surrounding buildings. The size of a square must be appropriate to the size of the … Read more
Every day, there are people who leave their home and feel unsafe in the world. They experience inescapable threats to their lives and livelihood from the system that has been built up around them, forced to move through spaces that feel at best uninviting and at worst mortally dangerous. These people are not abstractions. They … Read more
IMCL is delighted to announce that the 55th IMCL Conference will take place in Ottawa, May 14-18, 2018, with the very active partnership of the City, and will focus on the immensely important theme of Healthy, 10-Minute Neighborhoods. Efforts are under way around the world to create healthy neighborhoods where walking, biking and public … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard At the crossing of pedestrian ways A neighborhood square must be located at the central crossing point of a network of interconnected pedestrian routes through the neighborhood. As local residents walk through the square on their way to work, school, shopping, running errands, or to catch transit to the city … Read more
By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard The Superblock Program is a Barcelona version of area-wide traffic calming found in many Northern European cities, but here in Barcelona it has been tailored to the grid street layout introduced by Cerda in the nineteenth century. Janet Sanz, Deputy Mayor for Ecology, Urbanism and Mobility, will be a keynote … Read more
By Taylor Campi I spent a large portion of my recent 4-day trip to St. Louis, Missouri, in the suburbs west of the city. As is true in the majority of American suburbs, the development and activity in this part of town revolve heavily around the use of cars. I first noticed this on my … Read more