What is the Most Important Consideration in Public Space Design?

What makes a city, town or precinct attractive? This is a question I have been asking a lot over the past three years as we have worked to activate dead or under-utilised public spaces in and around the Western Cape.

Global approaches to precinct design and revitalisation usually focus on greening, cleaning, security, transport access and public amenities but even when well-managed and executed, none of these extremely important factors are the real cornerstone of successful spaces.

So how do we create space that is attractive and capable of sustaining business, residents, tourism and transient foot traffic? The answer lies in one word:

Relevance.

Relevance is defined as the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate and throughout our work, we have found that no intervention, development, new idea or business can exist successfully when this factor is not chiefly considered.

Unfortunately, all too often space is not considered in a holistic manner or with regard to what it's primary function and identity is. The Government sets policy, town planners plan away, developers finance, architects design and then, the property agent sells or leases to whoever is eligible. There is almost always a lack of integration with little importance placed on the experiences of the people who utilise the space or the symbiotic relationship necessary for the various businesses to prosper.

Without consideration paid to how the elements and stakeholders of a space work together, precincts and towns are nothing more than a combination of nature and building materials. Creating a compelling multifaceted offering within a space that is aligned to the needs of an end-user and adds maximum value to their daily lives is inextricably tied to the sustainability and success of it's micro-economy.

Only through truly understanding the complex dynamics of the existing community as well as those whom you wish to attract can we begin to consider the interventions necessary to create public spaces that are relevant, compelling and future-proofed.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but people-centric public spaces that are relevant to the needs of the communities they serve will always attract the eco-system and create the conditions required for sustained community benefit and economic prosperity.

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@sophron | [email protected]