living streets - degree project

7/23/2019 Living Streets - Degree Project

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WOONERF-BASED, PEOPLE-ORIENTEDSTREET POLICY AND DESIGN FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE

LIVINGSTREETS


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STREETS FOR LIVING

SETH GEISER

A PROFESSIONAL PROJECT

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

MASTERS OF URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN

ANDMASTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

2011

PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED TO OFFER DEGREE:

DEPARTMENT OF URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN

EVANS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS


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UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING

EVANS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT I HAVE EXAMINED THIS COPY OF A PROFESSIONAL PROJECT BY

SETH GEISER

AND HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS COMPLETE AND SATISFACTORY IN ALL RESPECTS,

AND THAT ANY AND ALL REVISIONS REQUIRED BY THE FINAL

EXAMINING COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN MADE

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

NANCY ROTTLE

JOAQUIN HERRANZ

GARY JOHNSON

DATE: JUNE 2, 2011


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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

LIVING STREETS DEFINED

Living streets are streets which promote urban vitality byallowing for active, daily use by residents. Through thebending and blurring of automobile travel lanes, space can beshared, speeds can be reduced, and activity can occur. Whereempty pavement once sat, people space can be provided.Achievement of living space design requires cooperation

by neighborhood residents, private developers, and citydepartments.

Living street is used in this document as an umbrella termwhich synthesizes design and policy features of woonerven,home zones, and shared space projects.

WHY WE NEED LIVING STREETS

Seattles center city neighborhoods face three confoundingproblems:1. Many streets have excess capacity and inefficiently use

scarce public land.2. Public open space for daily use and play is scant and

expensive to provide.3. An unsustainably low proportion of Center City residents are families with children, in part because of

the lack of space required to comfortably and livablyraise a family.

Backed by findings from the great minds of urban planningand international case studies, living street design provides:1. More efficient use of valuable street right-of-way.2. Livable, family-friendly neighborhoods by

creating public open space directly adjacent tohomes that can be used for a wide variety of dailyactivities.

3. Promotes safety by lowering travel speeds throughdesign.

4. Provides increased opportunity for green stormwater

infrastructure.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

This document contains a series of policy and designrecommendations aimed at designing, implementing,regulating, and maintaining livable streets in Seattle.

While the document is primarily aimed at exploring how tointegrate living street design to Seattle, most of the findings

and analysis would be useful and applicable in other citycontexts.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS:

SDOT should incorporate a living street designation inthe Right-of-Way Improvement Manual.

DPD should develop a legal and funding frameworkfor the implementation of living streets.

SDOT and DPD should investigate methods for livingstreet residents to engage in the design process andlong-term maintenance of their street space.

SDOT and DPD should partner with University ofWashington or private firm to conduct study of streetquality and resident perception for designation andevaluation of livable streets.

DPD should coordinate neighborhood plans, zoningdesignations, and development incentives thatpromote living street design.

SDOT and DPD should develop living street designguidelines that allow for context-specific living streetdesign.

DPD should select a South Lake Union EIS alternativethat promotes ground-related housing and would

accommodate living street design.


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EXECU

TIVESUMMA

RY

CONCEPTUAL STREET DESIGN FOR 8TH AVE N:

To show how the policy and design recommendations canbe applied to a specific context within Seattle, a conceptualdesign was developed for 8th Ave N in South Lake Union.

Because of a confluence of development potential andneighborhood interest, 8th Ave N serves as a prime example

of how living street design could help anchor an age-diverseand livable neighborhood in a dense, urban setting.

Through context-sensitive site analysis and assembly ofliving street design features, the 8th Ave N conceptual planenvisions a street that is more than just a thing to passthough, it is also a place to live in.


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8 TABLEO

FCONTENTS

LITERATURE

REVIEW

Pages 13-28

CASE

STUDIES

Pages 29-54

12 projects, 6 countries.

The concept of living streets is

seeped in 50 years of physical

experiments and adaptations.

While no two designs look the

same, they all share common

features which inform

how streets can be betterdesigned.

From a trove of living streets

scattered across the globe,

a sampler of model cases is

provided to show what can

be done when streets are

designed for activity and life.

PROJECT

STATEMENT

Pages 10-12

While no one has yet to write

the definitive text on the

merits of living street design,

a great wealth of urban design

texts from the luminaries

of the field points the way

forward.

Some authors mention

woonerven or home zones

by name, while others simply

describe the features which

define living street design. All

agree that streets should be

for more than the most banal

of transportation needs; that

street space should be used

for enjoyable activity, for dailyrecreation and interaction,

for living in.

The introduction, covering:

what is a living street,

why this document exists,

how it was developed,

what it contains,

and what it could be used for.


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DESIGN

Pages 55-64

Baseline facts exist which

define the streetscape

problems our city must

overcome and inform the set

of solutions available. Simply

put, people need room to do

things and the space they

need, in an urban context, islimited and precious.

The first step to resolving this

dilemma is acknowledging

the physical, perceptual, and

regulatory barriers to living

streets.

Research and analysis

wouldnt be much withoutinvestigating where gained

insight leads. To that end,

recommendations focus on

setting up the procedural and

funding system required to

locate, plan, and implement

living street upgrades.

F

Pages 65-74

POLICY

Pages 75-98

As the history of woonerf and

home zone projects has been

one of context-sensitivity,

there is a wide range of

ways to take the core design

elements and rearrange them.

Acknowledging this, a menuof configuration options and

design features is provided.

From this, future planning

efforts can assess the context

of the street considered

for living street design and

use the menu to begin

conceptual design work.

Recommendations are thenprovided which key on the

physical elements essential to

the living street form.

CONCEPTUAL

DESIGN

Pages 99-106

As a culmination of the

project, a conceptual living

street design has been

prepared which provides a

sense of what a living street

could look and feel like.

Should the proposedrecommendations be

implemented, this conceptual

design can serve a visual

example of the sorts of

changes that can be made to

streetscape design in Seattle.

CONCLUSION

Wrapping everything up, this

section looks back at what

has been presented and what

remains to be done. This

project can start the process

of implementing living street

design, but its going to have

to be carried by others.


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WHAT IS LIVING STREETS ?

This document is three things:

1. A Primer on the History of Living Street Design, compilingthe best written and built studies on the subject2. A Proposal for the City of Seattle, offering analysis andrecommendations on how to implement living street design

3. A Vision of Living Street Design, rendering policyguidelines into a conceptual design project

WHAT IS THE PROJECTS PURPOSE?

The purpose of this document is threefold:

1. To question our status quo design that sees streets asthings to pass through, not spend time in. By marginalizingpedestrians, limiting them to the edges of the street, existingstreet design works contrary to many of our sustainabilityand livability-oriented goals and policies. It is thisdocuments contention, backed by literature review and casestudy, that street space can, and should, be better designedto encourage daily use and social interaction.

2. To offer a solution to the imbalance of supply and demandof usable space in the urban context. For lightly traffickedstreets, large swaths of potentially usable public space situnderutilizied, while, at the same time, urban residents findthemselves with relatively small living spaces and scarcepublic open space. Living streets provide an elegant solutionto this imbalance and provide a great deal of positive effectsto urban livability.

3. To spare others the trouble of hunting down thedisjointed and dispersed information on living streets. Thisproject began as a design exploration for a single street. Ithas since expanded to become a primer on the history and

justification for living streets. While conducting research,I was stymied by the fact that no one has yet written thedefinitive, or even decent book, on living streets. Instead,

the concept and characteristics of living streets are scatteredacross sixty years, under differing names through thefootnotes of reports and legislation. Finding out what aliving street is, what it looks like, and how to make one was afrustrating process.

WHAT DOES THE TERM LIVING

STREETS MEAN?

Living streets are streets which promote urban vitality byallowing for active, daily use by residents. Through thebending and blurring of automobile travel lanes, spacecan be shared, speeds can be reduced, and activity canoccur. Where empty pavement once sat, people space canbe provided. Achievement of living space design requirescooperation by neighborhood residents, private developers,and city government.

Living street is used in this document as an umbrella termwhich synthesizes design and policy features of woonerven,home zones, and shared space streets. Each of the threetypes offer something critical to the living street concept,but all have flaws which make them difficult to adapt to theSeattle context individually.

Since woonerf is a 50 year old concept, it has beenmodified and adapted over the years to the extent that theoriginal version is no longer quite the same as the modern

interpretation. Much like the terms sustainable or green,

PROJECTSTATEMENT


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Woonerf, as a concept, has been diluted and the potential formisunderstanding is present. Woonerf, itself, is an ungainlyterm, roughly translated as living yard, that is not initiallydiscernible nor widespread in its use.

As a derivative of woonerf design, the Home Zone is auniquely British take on streetscape design. As it stands

codified, tailored to the specifics of British law, simplycopying and pasting Home Zone regulations into Seattlecode would be problematic. The term Home Zone evokes aclearer understanding of its purpose than does woonerf, yetstill doesnt fully encapsulate living street design.

Finally, shared space is the most current design type adaptedwithin living streets, but is too specific to stand alone. Byfocusing primarily on the removal of signage and physicalbarriers to mode mixing, shared space misses the daily usecomponent of woonerven and the community involvementaspect of Home Zones. Shared spaces can also be appliedin contexts, such as heavily trafficked arterials, where livingstreet design would be inappropriate.

So living street serves to combine positive features fromwoonerven, Home Zones, and shared space while providinga new concept that can be implemented in Seattles context.

The term is also gaining in use in the US and abroad.

HOW WAS THE LIVING STREETS

PROJECT DEVELOPED?

Streets for Living is designed with two characteristics:

1. Digestibility: Streetscape policy and design can be a verydry and obtuse subject, interesting and understandableonly to transportation wonks, especially when in the form

of an academic degree project. To the extent possible, this

document is intended to be legible to transportationengineers, design professionals, and people who simplyuse streets in their daily lives.

2. Utility: Related to the previous point, this document wasdesigned to be used. Not as a plan for a specific street inintricate detail nor as a theoretical broadside against auto-

dominated street design that will sit in polite obscurityon some shelf, Streets for Living is instead a platform forfurther investigation into and implementation of livingstreeets. Each section can be taken and used to inform,implement, or inspire.

That may seem a touch bold, but it has become my beliefthat living street design is not just some fancy that citiesshould toy with in order to beautify a street (though it canhelp), but that it is a critical tool in fostering a sustainable,livable neighborhood in places of urban density. It is mydesperate hope that this document, in some way greator small, helps shift the mindset that streets are for theenjoyment of life, not just the moving of things.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THE

LIVING STREETS PROJECT?

To anyone reading, please shamelessly take anything youfind useful and run with it. Run as far as you can, because,for the most part, we deserve better than the streets wevebeen given and the streets we continue to build. Share it,adapt it, realize it. Thats all I ask.

Now, on to the project...


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LITERATURE REVIEW

Life Between Buildings - Jan Gehl

Livable Streets - Donald Appleyard

The Forgotten Child - Henry L Lennard

The Death and Life of Great American Cities - Jane Jacobs

Streets and the Shaping of Towns and Cities - Eran Ben Joseph

Image of the City- Kevin LynchThe Social Life of Small Urban Spaces - William H Whyte

Housing as if People Mattered - Clare Cooper Marcus

LR1

LR2

LR3

LR4

LR5

LR6LR7

LR8


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LIVING CITIES, THEREFORE, ONESIN WHICH PEOPLE CAN INTERACT

WITH ONE ANOTHER, ARE ALWAYSS T I M U L A T I N GBECAUSE THEY ARE RICH IN

EXPERIENCES, IN CONTRAST TOLIFELESS CITIES, WHICH CANSCARCELY AVOID BEING POORIN EXPERIENCES AND THUSD U L LNO MATTER HOW MANY COLORS ANDVARIATIONS OF SHAPE IN BUILDINGS

ARE INTRODUCED. - JAN GEHL


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not they visit the space. For optional activities,

those spent at leisure with family and friends, thequality of space has a significant impact on where

the activities take place. For this reason, any

space where people are encouraged to linger in,

whether for play, conversation, or simple people

watching, careful attention should be applied inthe design of the space.

Gehl recommends looking at use of space

holistically, in terms of time spent, not justnumber of people moving through. He argues

The number of people or events does not initself give a real indication of the activity level

in an area, because actual activity, life between

buildings as it is experienced, is equally a

question of duration of stays outdoors. This

implies that a high level of activity in a certain

area can be stimulated both by ensuring that

more people use the public spaces and byencouraging longer individual stays.

It is this ability to linger in the public realm that

Gehl advocates. To achieve these quality urban

spaces, Gehl offers thoughts and principlesto keep in mind on street form, building edge

zones, play of children and site planning. Gehls

thoughts on these topics are especially pertinent

for development of living streets in Seattle.

Something

happens

because

somethinghappens

because

something

happens.

LR1LIFE BETWEEN BUILDINGS

Gehls findings and views in this text stem from

his statement that Life in buildings and betweenbuildings seems in nearly all situations to rank

as more essential and more relevant than the

spaces and buildings themselves. Planners and

architects, he argues, focus too much attention

on the buildings and large scale plans of the city,while neglecting the spaces between buildings

where the majority of public life actually takes

place.

In the below graphic, Gehl notes that for

activities residents find necessary, the qualityof the space has little impact on whether or

JAN GEHL


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On Street Design

Winding or interrupted streets make pedestrian

movement more interestinga walking networkwith alternating street spaces and small squaresoften will have the psychological effect of

making the walking distances seem shorter.

Woonerf principles of slow vehicular traffic in

predominantly pedestrian and bicycle streets

represent a remarkable improvement comparedwith the situation commonly found in city

streets.

On Edge Zones

The edge zone offers a number of obvious

practical and psychological advantages as aplace to linger. Additionally, the area along the

faade is the obvious outdoor staying area for

the residents and functions of the surrounding

buildings. It is relatively easy to move a function

out of the house to the zone along the faade.

It is important that it is easy to go in and out of

dwellings. If the passage between indoors and

outdoors is difficult if it necessary, for example,

to use stairs and elevators to get in and out the

number of outdoor trips drops noticeably

LR1 LIFE BETWEEN BUILDINGS

Life between buildings can be supported

further if opportunities for staying outdoors

are offered in the form of a semiprivate frontyard placed in the transitional zone between

the dwelling and the access street.

To improve the quality of the outdoor

environment in an area by simple means, it

is almost always a good idea to create more

and better opportunities for sitting.

On Childrens PlayGenerally, play is not arranged. It evolves

when children are together, when they see

others at play, when they feel like playing

and go out to play without actually being

certain that play will get started. The firstprerequisite is being in the same space.

Meeting.

Being able to see what is going on in publicspaces can also be an element of invitation.

If children can see the street or playgroundfrom their homes, they can also follow what

is happening and see who is outside playing.

They then are more motivated to go out and

play, in contrast to the children who cannot

see what is going on because they live too

high up or too far away.

A summary of

observations andinvestigations

shows that people

and human activity

are the greatest

object of attention

and interest. Even

the modest form ofcontact of merely

seeing and hearing

or being near to

others is apparently

more rewarding and

more in demand

than the majorityof other attractions

offered in the public

spaces of cities and

residential areas.


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LR1LIFE BETWEEN BUILDINGS

It is nearly always more interesting to be in small spaces,where both the whole and the details can be seen onehas the best of both worldswhenever in doubt, leavesome space out.

In these woonerf areas, automobiles are permittedto drive right up to the front doors but the streetsare clearly designed as pedestrian areas...cars are

guests in the pedestrian domain. The concept ofintegrating automobile traffic on pedestrian terms offersconsiderable advantages over methods that segregatetraffic.

It is [important] that in public spaces in residentialareas there are not only opportunities for walking andsitting, but also opportunities to act...This should besupplemented preferably with possibilities for taking

small, daily domestic activities, such as potato peeling,sewing, repair jobs, hobbies, and meals, out into thepublic spaces.

One of the reasons why relatively few activities takeplace in front of houses in many residential areas isundoubtedly that suitable places for outdoor stays arelacking precisely where it would be most natural to havethem - at the entrance or at places where it is equally

easy to enter and exit.

It is, quitesimply, of

utmost

necessity

to be very

careful

with every

single

square

foot of

facade or

pedestrian

route.

TO ASSEMBLE OR DISPERSE

TO INTEGRATE OR SEGREGATE

TO INVITE OR REPEL

TO OPEN UP OR CLOSE IN


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In the wake of surveys conducted as part of SanFranciscos 1969 Urban Design Plan, Appleyard wrote

Livable Streets as an examination of the results ofthose surveys and their implications on how livablestreets function.

By combining the findings of a physical qualitysurvey of street blocks and an attitudinal survey ofresidents, Appleyard found that use and perceptionsabout streets tended to match the level of traffic oneach street. Dividing them into Light (2,000 cars/day), Medium (8,700 cars/day) and Heavy (15,750cars/day), his findings were that pedestrian activityand sense of ownership was inversely related totraffic volumes.

On Light street, residents reported more socialinteraction with neighbors, felt safer from collisionsand crime, and were more likely to spend timeoutside. On Heavy street, the noise seemed worse,the air seemed dirtier, and children were less present.

On the subject of children, Appleyard channels JaneJacobs stating that As a domestic hearth, the streetoffers a place for children living up and down theblock to meet, gather, and pursue their activitiesin a territory which is neither strictly supervised byparents, yet not completely disassociated from theirwatchful gaze Noting the potential for socializationand activity, Appleyard argues that residential streetsshould be designed so that people of all ages feel

safe and welcome.

LR2 LIVABLE STREETS

In many

communities, streets

are overdesigned

for the traffic they

have to carry. There

is a great deal of

spare fat in manyresidential street

systems, and at low

traffic levels street

space can be shared

between slow-

moving vehicles and

pedestrians.

DONALD

APPLEYARD

To this end, Appleyard attempts to envision what theideal residential street would look like. To achieve

this vision, he proposes a Charter of Street DwellersRights

Livable Streets Action Items

From Appleyards findings, there are somepertinent action items that could be beneficial forthe development of Living Streets, and streets in

general, in Seattle:

Conduct a physical and attitudinal survey ofstreet blocks within Seattle to assess the qualityof existing street infrastructure and to identifywhich streets would benefit from living streetupgrades

Address right-of-way norms and regulations inresidential areas to provide equal standing for all

modes of traffic

Design and regulate streets with the StreetDwellers Rights in mind (see page 18)

Limit speeds on residential streets to 15-20 mph through design features


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LIVABLE STREETS

On Light Street, inhabitants were found to have three times

as many local friends and twice as many acquaintances asthose on heavy street...there was a marked difference in theway these streets were seen and used, especially by the young

and the elderly...Front steps were used for sitting and chatting,sidewalks for children playing, and for adults to stand and passthe time of day.

As with the

woonerf, we

may seriouslyhave to consider

changing

the right-of-

way rules in

residential

neighborhoods.At the present

time, drivers

believe they

have the right

of way on even

the quietest

residentialstreet. Until

this attitude

is changed,

livability and

safety will be in

jeopardy.

Life on light street...was in some ways idyllic. Residents were

much more engaged in the street. They saw it as their ownterritory. Their children played on the sidewalk and in the street....and they were generally much more aware of its detailed

qualities. The contrast between the two streets was striking.On the one hand alienation, on the other friendliness andinvolvement.

LR2


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A CHARTER OF STREET DWELLERS RIGHTS

1. Street as a safe sanctuary:Streets on which children grow up should be

safe... Drivers of cars, delivery vans and other vehiclesshould understand that they are in a pedestrianterritory when traveling on these streets, and shouldtherefore move slowly, carefully and with warning.

2. Street as a livable, healthy environment

[Street dwellers] should not be forced to withdrawfrom the street because of discomforts caused by

traffic. The street environment should have placeswhere people can sit, converse, and play

3. Street as a community

Streets should be places where communal lifeis possible, where it can happen if street dwellerswant it to... street communities can not only reducethe anomie of urban life, they can encourage streetactivities, keep the street clean, and engage in

common action.4. Street as a neighborly territory

The street should become in a symbolic, if not alegal sense, territory that the residents feels belongto them

LR2 LIVABLE STREETS

The protection and

creation of livablestreets is not simply a

matter of increasing

the comfort or safety

of urban living. The

street has other

functions.

As the place where

most children growup, it is a crucial

mediator between

the home and the

outside world, where

the child learns to

confront strangers

and environments on

his own.

It should be a

receptive and

reasonably safe

environment that

the child can explore,

manipulate, and use

as a setting for all

kinds of activities.

5. Street as a place for play and learning Since the street is where many children spendby far the largest amount of their time outdoors, itshould be a fine place to play... Learning about thelarger city depends on their freedom to roam safelyin their neighborhood

6. Street as a green and pleasant land

Trees, grass, plants, and flowers not only providerelief from the hardness and greyness of the city,

they provide shade in the summer and remindpeople of the natural environment which is often faraway.

7. Street as a unique historic place

People take pride in places that have a specialidentity... and its present history can be recordedwere residents able to begin seeing it as a placerather than a channel.


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Beauty is important

to every child,

perhaps especially

to disadvantaged

children. And yet, in the

twentieth century, we

have permitted cities toevolve with vast areas

that are so ugly that,

if we can, we adults

flee the city as fast as

our cars will take us,

leaving the poor, and

the children of the poor

to bear them as best as

they may

LR3THE FORGOTTEN CHILD

Lennards prime contention is that well designedurban places not only provide space for children to

grow up, but can allow children to grow up better.

By exposing children to the complexity ofmovement and commerce, diversity in race, culture,economics, and age, they become better equippedto deal with the complexity of l ife and to becomesocially-integrated people.

For this reason, Lennard recommends that normsabout where children play should be reenvisioned.

Sandboxes, swings and slides inside chain linkfences are no substitute for playing on a traffic freestreet where children can be a part of the everydaylife of the city. Ideally, the whole city should beusable as a playground.

In the city-as-playground, children redefine ordinaryobjects steps, walls, bollards, posts and rails aselements in their playall of these activities occurwithin sight of adults carrying on their daily lives,and the child is free to move back and forth betweenplay and playful interaction with adults.

In the direction of universal use of the public realm,Lennard advocates the German Wohnstrasse, whereparking is available only to residents, through trafficis impossible, and vehicles must travel slowly andgive way to pedestrians and playing children. Manyare repaved with stone paving, and planted with

trees and climbing plants, and have blossomed aspublic parlors for people to meet, and as locations

Benefits of the city as playground:

Everyday components of street design candouble as play space and equipment, savingthe need for dedicated playground space

Broadly defined play spaces are more likely

to be used as adult recreation spaces as well Children are able to experience active street

life instead of just protected child spaces

for outdoor cafes and restaurants, ensuring publicpresence on the street, and opportunities for a

sense of community to develop

Lennard ends his text imploring twenty-firstcentury architects and urban planners [to] have thecourage and vision to create a meaningful urbanenvironment that accepts children as integralparticipants in the social world; that encouragesplayfulness, curiosity, and discovery; thatemphasizes cooperation and interdependenceover isolation and independence; and that

respects the best qualities of the cultural heritageof the built environment

HENRY L

LENNARD


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Three main qualities for successful

neighborhood streets:

First, there must be a clear demarcation betweenwhat is public space and what is private space.Public and private spaces cannot ooze into eachother as they typically do in suburban settings.

Second, there must be eyes upon the street, eyesbelonging to those who we might call the natural

proprietors of the street. The buildings on thestreet equipped to handle strangers and to insurethat the safety of both residents and strangers,must be oriented to the street. They cannot turntheir backs or blank sides on it and leave it blind.

Third, the sidewalk must have users on it fairlycontinuously, both to add to the number ofeffective eyes on the street and to induce thepeople in buildings along the street to watch the

sidewalks in sufficient numbers. Nobody enjoyssitting on a stoop or looking out a window at anempty street. Almost nobody does such a thing.Large numbers of people entertain themselves, offand on, by watching street activity.

LR4 THE DEATH AND LIFE OF

GREAT AMERICAN CITIESIn a section titled, The uses of sidewalks:

assimilating children, Jacobs argues that childrencan passively learn about how to integrate withtheir neighborhood while playing in the streetsand observing the daily activities of adults. Insteadof being isolated in bedrooms or playgrounds,children should be allowed to play in and aroundthe general life on the street.

Jacobs claims There is no point in planning forplay on sidewalks unless the sidewalks are used

for a wide variety of other purposes and by awide variety of other people too...If sidewalks ona lively street are sufficiently wide, play flourishesmightily right along with other uses. In supportivecoexistence, active daily use of streets by childrenat play and adults at work and leisure provide atonce both security in numbers and neighborhoodvitality.

In general, she argues that compact retail use onthe ground floor with housing above is the idealform for encouraging this active street life. Whenretail is not available (such as in plans for ground-related housing on 8th Ave N), active spacesshould be provided in the street right-of-way toencourage residents to spend time outside.

JANEJACOBS

You cant make people use

streets they have no reason

to use. You cant make people

watch streets they dont want

to watch. Safety on the street

by surveillance and mutualpolicing may sound grim,

but in real life it is not grim.

The safety of the street works

best, most casually, and with

least frequent taint of hostility

or suspicion precisely where

people are using and enjoying

the city streets voluntarily and

are least conscious, normally,

that they are policing


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Shared streets

establish a socIal

milieu and make the

street a mixed-use

public domain as it

was prior to mass

ownership of the

automobile. They are

especially supportive

of childrens activities,

providing more play

options and social

contact within a safe

home-base territory.

STREETS AND THE SHAPING OF

TOWNS AND CITIESWhile much of Ben-Josephs text is oriented

towards solving aws in suburban forms ofresidential streets, many of the principles can be

adapted nicely to the 8th Ave N setting.

Ben-Joseph argues that street standards,

and the norms embedded within them, have

a great impact in how we build and perceive

the built environment. This being the case, he

suggests that street standards be revised to

make residential streets more livable, safer, and

equitable.

Specically, he recommends the shared street

model as an intelligent option to pursue.

Design Characteristics of Shared Streets Through traffic is discouraged Paved space is shared, with pedestrians having

priority over the entire street

Walking and playing are allowed everywhere Entrances are clearly marked No conventional, straight stretches of pavement

with raised curbs The pavement and sidewalk are not rigidly

demarcated Car speed and movement are restricted by

physical barriers and deviations, bends andundulations

The area has extensive landscaping and street

furnishings

ERAN

BEN-JOSEPH

LR5


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LR5 STREETS AND THE SHAPING OF

TOWNS AND CITIESCriteria for Improved Street

Standards

1. Support varied uses of residential streetsincluding childrens play and adult recreation.Streets should reflect a pedestrian orientation,rather than just facilitate vehicular movement.

2. Design and manage street space for thecomfort and safety of residents. Walking and

playing surfaces should be comfortable, and

appropriate furniture should be provided forthe activities.

3. Provide a well-connected, interestingpedestrian network. An ideal path system isexplorable, offering new experiences.

4. Provide convenient access for people wholive on the street, but discourage throughtraffic. The street system should provide access

to all dwellings in a logical way. Speeds shouldbe below 20 mph.

5. Differentiate streets by function and scale.

6. Relate street design to the natural andhistoric setting.

7. Conserve land by minimizing the amount ofland devoted to vehicular movement.


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In developing a program and design for a space,

Lynch advocates for an anticipation of user needsand qualities so that form and function of a spacealign with the sort of people who are intended touse the space.

In addressing the habitability of a space - that is, thelikelihood that it will be made use of by residents -Lynch lists four criteria:

Sense

Places should have a clear perceptual identity:be recognizable, memorable, vivid, engaging toour attention...places play a part in the intellectualand emotional development of the individual,particularly in childhood, but also in later years.

Fit

A good user environment supports purposefulbehavior; it makes a good fit with user actions... oneneeds to know what people actually do and alsowhat they experience and plan.

Access

The degree to which users can reach other persons,services, resources, information or places...one needsto know the access that users consider adequate oroptimum, including what it is they most want accessto.

IMAGE OF THE CITY

An environment

which is ordered

in precise and

final detail mayinhibit new

patterns of

activity.

KEVINLYNCH

Control

The ideal environment is one controlled in allits essential respects by those who use it, whothereby have the greatest stake in its quality andare most familiar with its requirements...The sitedesigner seeks to encourage responsible controlby the actual user.

Notes on Spaces for ChildrenIt is better to distribute a varied set of playopportunities in many locations rather than toconcentrate them in one area.

The grounds of a housing site are, for many of itsresidents, the most important setting for sociallife. Children are not only the most committedgroup of users but also the brokers for many adultfriendships.

Parking areas will be hockey arenas, baseball

diamonds, and basketball courts. Retainingwalls will be climbed and walked upon, bencheswill be stages, and flowerbeds will be ideal forearthworks...all this can be restrained by strenuousadult supervision, but it is preferable to design thesite to withstand the assault.

LR6


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26

THE SOCIAL LIFE OF SMALL

URBAN SPACES

WILLIAM HWHYTE

Starting as a time study of activity in New York City

plazas, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces turnedout to be a seminal study on how and why space isused in the city.

By observing the patterns of people in space as theyreact to each other, amount of sunlight, time of day,and space design, Whyte came across profoundunderstandings about basic human nature. Thepower of these observations are their simple, almostcommon-sense nature.

On Play

It is often assumed that children play in the streetbecause they lack playground space. But manychildren play in the streets because they like to.

The street itself was the play area. Adjoining stoopsand fire escapes provided prime viewing across thestreet and were highly functional for mothers and

older people.

Why People Go Where They Go

What attracts people most, it would appear is otherpeople. If I belabor the point, it is because manyurban spaces are being designed as if the oppositewere true.

People tend to sit most where there are places tositIdeally, sitting should be physically comfortable

benches with backrests, well-contoured chairs.

Its more important, however, that it be socially

comfortable. That means choice: sitting up front,in back, to the side, in the sun, in the shade, ingroups, off alone. Choice should be built into thebasic design.

On Open Space

The area where the street and or plaza or openspace meet is a key to success or failure. Ideally,the transition should be such that it is hard to tellwhere one ends and the other begins.

I end, then, in praise of small spaces. Themultiplier effect is tremendous. It is not just thenumber of people using them, but the largernumber of people who pass by and enjoy themvicariously, or the even larger number who feelbetter about the city center for knowledge ofthem. For a city, such places are priceless, whateverthe cost.

LR7

We have given a

disproportionate

amount of our

street space tovehicles, and the

time has come

to start giving

some of it back to

the pedestrians

from whom it was

taken.


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27

HOUSING AS IF PEOPLE MATTERED

CLARECOOPER

MARCUS

LR8

Noting the poor performance of high-rise and

suburban development for the space needs offamilies with children, Marcus wrote Housing asif People Mattered as a design treatise on how toproperly design and site low-rise, high-densityhousing.

While the majority of the document focuses onproper building form and site layout, Marcusrecognizes the crucial link between the home andpublic open space. Specifically for children, it is

crucial that the public realm works to provide spacesfor exploration, socialization, and play in a way that isacceptably safe.

To this point she specifically mentions adaptingliving street design principles to provide the sorts ofpublic spaces that she believes people require

The relatively new solution of mixer courts inBritain or woonerfs in the Netherlands may be asatisfactory compromise between total vehicular-pedestrian segregation and the traditional street.Cars are allowed access right up to the dwelling,but they must pass through a zone where paving,landscaping, and layout clearly indicate that thespace is primarily for pedestrians, thus slowing thecar to a walking pace and strongly reducing thelikelihood of accidents to children, the physicallydisabled, or the frail elderly.

THE BASIC NEEDS OF CHILDREN FOR

PUBLIC SPACE

1. Children need safe, uninhibited outdoor play for their

physiological and mental health

2. Parents need to be able to allow their children

outside without constant, close supervision

3. The environment around childrens homes needs to

be safe from traffic, pollution, and unnecessary physical

and social hazards

4. Children should be able to experience the pleasures

of finding bugs, picking leaves, smelling flowers,

collecting things, and so on without their parents or the

management harassing them.

5. Children need to create private spaces for

themselves (for example, tree houses, forts, or

clubhouses) on wild or unmaintained ground away

from public view

6. Children need easy, casual access to other children

without a formal invitation to play

7. Children need places in the communal environment

that are undeniably their territories where they can

expect to find other children

8. Children need to be able to move about their home

neighborhoods safely and to take little trips father and

farther from home to gain a sense of independence

It is

inappropriate,

whatever the

budget, to regard

landscaping, site

layout, play areas

and community

facilities as

luxury areas.


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PROVIDING OUTDOOR PLAY SPACE WITHIN VIEW OFTHE HOME IS IMPORTANT FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENTAND PUBLIC REALM VITALITY

LITERATURE REVIEW SUMMARYSPACE IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY SHOULD BE DESIGNED

TO ALLOW FOR ACTIVE USE, COMMUNALINTERACTION AND RESTFUL INHABITING

ALL MODES SHOULD HAVE EQUAL PRIORITY IN THESTREET

HOUSING THAT IS ORIENTED TO AND DIRECTLYACCESSIBLE FROM THE STREET IS CRUCIAL FORACTIVATION AND SAFETY OF LIVING STREETS

LIMITING TRAFFIC SPEED THROUGH DESIGN ISIMPORTANT FOR CREATING USABLE SPACE AND ASENSE OF SAFETY

SPACE SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR ADAPTIBILITY ANDLINGERING SO THAT RESIDENTS FEEL A SENSE OFOWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF THE STREET

SPECIFICALLY, WOONERF DESIGN IS AN APPROPRIATEMETHOD FOR CREATING LIVABLE SPACES


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CASE STUDIES

Woonerven

Original Woonerven, Delft, The Netherlands

Potato Rows, Copenhagen, Denmark

Moabit District, Berlin, Germany

Terry Ave N, Seattle, USA

Home Zones

The Methleys, Leeds, UK

Morice Town, Plymouth, UK

Lansbury Estates, Poplar, UK

Northmoor, Manchester, UK

Shared Spaces

Ashford Ring Road, Kent, UK

Kensington Market, Toronto, Canada

False Creek N, Vancouver, Canada

Longfellow Street, Santa Monica , USA

CS1

CS2

CS3

CS4

CS5

CS6

CS7

CS8

CS9

CS10

CS11

CS12


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30 C

ASEST

UDY

IN

TROD

UCTIO

N

WoonervenDeveloped by the Dutch in the late 1960s, the development of the woonerf street designation was a response to

the growing segregation of cars and pedestrians in the right-of-way. To resolve the conict of residents natural

inclination to use the street for daily recreation and an increase in collision injury rates, the design of woonerven

is specically intended to integrate the use of street space by all modes.

Translating as living yard, the woonerf serves as a means to make for safe, accessible, and usable public street

space. By breaking down the rigidity of lanes and sidewalks, woonerf designs reduce speeds and put pedestriansand vehicles on equal footing in use of the street.

The concept has been incorporated widely throughout the world, showing up in variations in the United Kingdom,

Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Israel, Japan, and only recently in the United States.

Home ZonesInspired by woonerf design principles, the Home Zone designation was enacted as a national policy in the

United Kingdom with the specic intent of improving the quality of public space in new and existing residential

developments.

To promote the long term use and upkeep of redesigned streets, the Home Zone process requires the

cooperation of neighborhood organizations throughout the projects design, development, and maintenance.

By adding a regulatory framework and promoting resident involvement, Home Zones add to woonerf design by

expressly promoting community development, rather than let it be a fortunate side effect.

Shared SpacesShared space design relies on the observation that an individuals behaviour in trafc is determined more by

visual clues incorporated into the built environment of the street than it is by conventional trafc control devices

and speed regulations.

In standard street design, lanes are excessively wide, speed limit signs are ignored, and drivers are able to travel

with little concern, except at controlled intersections. By removing street lights and similar trafc control clutter,

users of all modes are required to actively negotiate trafc, reducing speed as caution and awareness increases.

Advancing the importance of mode integration and visual cueing, shared space design is many ways an

extension of the principles incorporated in woonerf design. While shared space design is more focused on the

efcient and safe movement of trafc than creating daily-use street space, the increased safety created and

aesthetic value of street clutter removal provided meshes nicely with the principles enshrined in woonerf/home

zone design.


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31

WO

ONERFDESIGN

PR

INCIPL

ES

Lane Conguration1. Sidewalks should be level with the roadway or

non-existent.Reducing the emphasis of sidewalks

encourages free pedestrian ow over the entire street

rather than solely in isolated channels.

2. Adopt the minimum lane dimensionsthat allow

for staggered two-way trafc and emergency vehicleaccess (Between 15-20ft)

3. Drive areas should be designed to limit speeds

to under 20mph. Curvatures in the drive lanes help

reduce driver sight lines and should be employed to

achieve speed targets.

Surface Treatment

4. Incorporate interesting patterns and variedsurface treatmentsto send both visual and physical

cues to drivers, signalling that their driving context has

changed.

5. Changes in surface color or type can be employed

to signal where driving is intended, but paint lines

should not be used.

Street Furniture6. Bollards should be used in front of housesentrances to prevent vehicle intrusion (both driving

and parking), and where pedestrian-protected areas

are intended. Bollards provide permeable barriers

that protect but do not divide.

7. Street furniture, squares, childrens play areas, and

cafes should be encouraged to spill into or be located

within the street right-of-way. Encouraging community

use of the street and a sense of ownership,

these features act to obstruct linear travel and

thus reinforce driver engagement.

Green Features8. Planters boxes, swales, lawned spaces should be

located along and within the street right-of-way to

bend lane paths and provide usable public space.

9. Street trees are encouragedto provide vertical

elements in the street that assist in calming trafc

and provide for pedestrian scale when adjacent to tall

buildings.

Lighting10. Pedestrian-scale lightingin the street and on

adjoining buildings helps foster a sense of security

and encourages use of public space at all times ofday.

Parking11. On-street parking should be providedat an

adequate level for direct home access and loading.

12. Parking should be provided intermittentlyin

small groups to help reduce the linearity of the street

and to l imit visual monotony.

Gateways13. Gateway elements should be provided at

the entrances and exitsof woonerf streets to alert

drivers that they are about to enter a different street

context.

14. Simple signageshould be incorporated to mark

the street transition.

*Derived from design criteria provided in Evolving Streets: a review of contemporary

approaches to street design by Dylan Passmore, 2005.


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CASE DETAILS:

Birthplace of the woonerf design concept.

Now nearly ubiquitous street design in Delft centralneighborhoods, which primarily consist of densely ordered2-3 story buildings. Wide range of design styles contextuallyemployed in residential, commercial, and mixed-use streets.

Slightly raised pavers are used to mark pedestrian-onlyand front door spaces, but otherwise continuous, level streetsurface.

Pedestrian use of entirety of street width, with informalagreement that use of street should not block local caraccess.

Street trees used within street right-of-way to mark outdoorrooms, parking bays, and divert traffic lanes.

O

RIGINALWOONERV

EN

D

ELFT,

NETHERLANDS


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Ground-related

housing

Roadway

narrowing

Integrated green

features

Semi-private

front yard spaces

Woonerf sign

identifies street

as shared space

Bollards protect

pedestrian-only

spaces

Roadway bend

slows travel

Ground-related

townhomes

Planters define

parking bays and

provide seating

Quality pavers

add vibrancy and

character

Tree boxes

extend into

roadway

Corner-markets

support nearby

residencesLinkedpocket parks

Paving change

alerts drivers

Pedestrian scale

lighting

Ample bicycle parking


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34 P

OTATO

ROWS

COPENHAGE

N,

DENMA

RK

CASE DETAILS: Small neighborhood just outside of downtown

Copenhagen.

Series of 13 parallel streets, 11 lined withtwo-story townhomes, lined with six-storystacked flat and mixed-use buildings.

Although built in the 1800s, well prior towoonerf concept, the streets embody many ofthe design principles.

Residents are allowed to place furniture, playequipment, and planters in the street so longas they dont obstruct traffic and are movable.

Since lanes are straight, tree boxes are used

to narrow the street at points and slow traffic.


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Ground-related

housing

Paving used toshow change in

user priority

Roadway used

for play-space

Roadway used

for lingering

Private

Semi-private

Public

Trees narrow

drive lanes

Semi-private

buffer space

Eyes on the

street


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CASE DETAILS: Center city neighborhood composed of 4-6

story buildings used for work-force housing andcommercial corridors.

Application of German Verkehrsberuhigter Bereich,a derivative of woonerf design, which translates

roughly to traffic-reassuring area.

Contextually applied based on adjacent uses andstreet width.

While regulation is in place for traffic speedand mode priority, Woonerf design standards ofcontinuous grade paving, traffic redirection, andgateway signing are typically present.

M

OABIT

DISTR

ICT

B

ERLIN,

GER

MANY

VERKERSBERUHIGTER BEREICH

STANDARDS:1. Pedestrians may use the whole width of the

road; Childrens games are permitted everywhere.

2. Vehicle traffic must keep pedestrian rate(roughly 5mph).

3. The drivers may not endanger nor obstructpedestrians; if necessarily they must wait.

4. Pedestrians may obstruct the vehicular traffic, butnot unnecessarily.

5. Parking is not allowed, except in designated areas,or for loading vehicles.


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Integrated

seating

Roadway bend

breaks up lane

linearity

Outdoor room providesinhabitable space

Paver variety indicates road

narrowing and provides

visual interest

Tree canopy reduces

perceived bulk of

buildings

Bollards provide

permeable barrier


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38 T

ERRYA

VEN

SEATTLE,W

A

CASE DETAILS: Intended to be a fully-designed woonerf street,but regulatory and legal problems pushed backthe design.

Runs the length of six city blocks, lined with newoffice and retail development.

Neighborhood streetcar line runs down aportion of the street.

Was meant to have seamless, flush pavement,but short curbs had to be installed.

Angled parking bays are defined by greeninfrastructure.

*More information and design documents at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/

terryavenuenorth.htm


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Tree canopy in

development

Pedestrian lighting

improves sense of safety

Bike parking promotes

shared space

Comfortable benches

promote longer outdoor

stays

Pavers provide

visual interest

Planting space used to define

parking bays

Planting and street furniture

create outdoor rooms

Active ground-floor

uses


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40 H

OMEZ

ONED

ESIGN

G

UIDELINES

Planning a Home Zone1. Home zones must be designed to fit the characterof individual streets and spaces. Home zones willwork best when prospective residents or the existinglocal community has a sense of ownership of andcommitment to the scheme.

2. The concept and detailed design of a home zone mustbe redeveloped with the participation of the localcommunity, so that any potential conflicts and problemsare resolved.

3. In many situations, the design and implementation ofa home zone scheme will provide a focus for the physicaland social regeneration of an area, empowering localresidentsto shape their neighborhood.

4. Home zones are appropriate in all types ofresidential area, including suburban, urban and innercity locations; and for all dwelling types including high-rise flats, terraces and semi-detached or detached homes.

5. Home zones will enable higher density developmentto be created as the space outside the home is moreuseful and the area given over to traffic is reduced.

6. Home zones can be suitable for use in areas that have asignificant level of non-residential use provided that thevolume and type of non-residential traffic is not excessiveor damaging to the quality of the residential environment.

There must always be enough residents to form aviable communitythroughout the home zone.

7. Home Zone streets should have traffic flows of nomore than about 100 vehicles per hour.

Defining the Home Zone Space8. It is the buildings, trees, planting and surfacetreatments that should define the home zones spaces,rather than conventional kerb edges and carriagewaywidths. Each home zone should be uniquedependingon the building heights, setbacks, its overall architecturalcharacter and the communitys use of the street.

9. A high proportion of residential buildings in HomeZones should have active fronts to the streetto providegood opportunities for natural surveillance and to foster asense of local ownership of the street

10. High walls and fences that divorce dwellings from thestreet should also be avoided wherever possible. Withinhome zones, the street should not be seen as a hostileplace.

11. Home zones must be clearly marked at theirentrances and exitsto ensure that all street usersrecognize the different nature of the area.

Designing for Activity12. Home zones should be designed to encouragevitality in residential streets, with a high level of socialinteraction between residents.

13. Home zones must provide children with a safe andattractive area outside their homes, which will providea place to meet and play with their friends.

14. Children playing will generate greater adult presenceon the street, through informal supervision, leading tomore social interaction between residents of all ages a virtuous circle.

*Derived from design criteria provided in Home Zone Design Guidelines by Institutute of

Highway Engineers, 2002.


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15. Any communal features, including play equipment,must be located carefully so as to not cause nuisance tolocal residents.

Designing for People and Vehicles16. The design for a home zone should make motoristsfeel that they are a guest in the street, and must make it

difficult for them to travel at speeds of more than 10mph.Vehicles must be accommodated within homes zonesas an intergral part of daily life, but must share the spacewith people on foot.

17. Home zones must be designed to be accessible to,and usable by, disabled peoples of all types.

18. Drivers usually expect to have priority over anypart of the street between raised kerbs and therefore

a continuous raised kerb should not normally beprovided throughout the home zone.

19. The route for vehicles through a home zone shouldbe narrow as is practicable, with a minimum of width of3m.

20. Home zones must be designed to cater for occasionaluse by large vehicles.

Parking21. Some on street-parkingshould normally beprovided in home zone street.

22. On-street car parking should be arranged so that itdoes not dominate views of the street or impinge

upon the other activitiesthat will take place in thehome zone.

23. Opportunities for indiscriminate parking shouldbe removedthrough the design and location of streetfurniture, planting or other features so that it is onlypossible to park within the designated on-street spaces.

Designing for Safety24. In locations where it is considered necessary to

maintain visibility, a stopping sight distance of 12m shouldbe applied. Significantly longer views will encouragedrivers to increase their speeds and should be avoided

where possible.

25. Until further experience is gained, it is advised thatspeed control measures within home zones should be

providedat a spacing of up to around 30m.

Adoption and Maintenance26. Where new home zone streets are to be adopted,developers should consult with the relevant authorities atan early stage in the design process to agree the materialsand other design specifications that need to be met.Developers should also establish the agencies that will

be responsible for the maintenance of each element

of the street, as this will have a major bearing on thescheme.


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CASE DETAILS: 330 mixed-income units in the home zone. The

majority have direct street frontages.

Questionnaire, newsletter, charrettes, and steeringgroup used to involve community in redevelopmentprocess.

Design focused on providing safe public space forchildrens play and social interaction.

Gateway treatments and paving color used to signala change in street use to drivers.

Use of road chicanes and bump-outs to createplazas, green spaces, and play areas in the streetright-of-way. Lack of nearby public open space

frequently cited as a concern for residents.

T

HEME

THLEY

S

L

EEDS,

UK


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43

Naturalistic,green stormwater

management

Semi-private front yard

spaces

Bump-outs

slow traffic and

provide play

space

Ground-related

housing

Change in paving type

for visual interest


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44

CASE DETAILS: Designated for Home Zone funding in 2002,

completed by 2004.

Covers 9 streets in a post-war residentialneighborhood with an elementary school andlocal retail.

Residents concerned with lack of usable public

space, car cruising, and crime.

POST-HOME ZONE RESULTS: Incidents of crime reduced by 94% from 142 in

the year before to nine in the year after.

Average traffic speed dropped to 13mph and

through traffic was cut by 40%.

Community groups thriving including gardeningclub and history club.

M

ORICE

TOWN

P

LYMOUTH,

UK

CS#


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45

Bollards form

permeablebarrier

Bumpout slows

traffic and provides

people space

Change inpavement marks

travel area

School

integrated into

neighborhood

Ground floor has

view and access to

street level

Parking bay defined by

planter walls

Mini-plazas created by

bollards and surface

treatment

Linked to public

play spaces


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46

CS# CASE DETAILS: Selected for Home Zone funding due to high

residential use, well-connected street network,and ample street width for redesign.

Inclusion of existing community groupsin streetscape design and public space

programming.

Set within a reduced speed neighborhoodto accustom vehicle users to lower speeds onhome zone streets.

Green features extended in street space tolink neighborhood park and ball play area.

Mid-block roundabouts and pinch-points used

to reduce traffic speeds.

L

ANSBU

RYESTATES

P

OPLAR,UK


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47

Continuous,

shared paving

Semi-private

front yard spaces

Mix of housing

types and

affordability

Defined

parking boxes

Pinch point to

lower speeds

Connected

pocket parks

Tree canopy

encloses

street


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48

CASE DETAILS: 1400 stacked flat and townhouse units.

Almost all have direct street access.

Residents reported concerns about continuousparking on both sides of the street, narrowsidewalks and lack of large vehicle access.

Low demand for car use (0.4 cars/household)due to proximity to services and transitnetwork.

Design focused on redesigning streets aslinear courtyards where people have streetpriority.

Some units demolished to create linear park

cross-street.

Post-development study found speeds reducedfrom 25mph to 10mph.

N

ORTHMOOR

M

ANCHEST

ER,

UK

Shared-space street

Green alley w/

backyardsPublic mid-block

connector


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49

Pedestrian mid-

block connection

Eyes on

the street

provides

security

Semi-privatefront yard spaces

Mini-plazas and

tree plantings

integrated

Continuous

paved surface

Chicane gives

street variety and

breaks up lanes

f ffi


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50 S

HARED

SPACE

P

RINCIP

LES

Street Design1. Barriers and curbs should be removed if not

absolutely necessary

2. Design elements, including pavement color and

material, should be used to mark the line betweenopen space and shared space

3. Travel speeds should be determined by the width

of travel lanes and the placement of street furniture

Equal Priority4. All street users, regardless of mode, have equalpriority in travel lanes

5. Street users should signal to each other theirintentions rather than assume them

6. Street users should not unfairly obstruct thepassage of others

Removal of Signage7. Street signs provide visual distractions to drivers

which divert their eyes from the road

8. Street signs clutter the visual landscape and detract

from urban aesthetics

9. Speed limit signs have little effect on the prevailing

speed of travel

10. Crosswalk signs implicitly tell drivers that

pedestrians should never be in the general drive

lanes which makes them less cautious

Removal of Traffic Signals and Stop

Signs11. Traffic signals force cars, bikes, and pedestriansto queue even when cross-traffic is not present,

promoting red-light running and jaywalking

12. Yellow lights induce drivers to speed throughintersections

13. Free right turns at stops put crossing pedestrians

in danger


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CASE DETAILS: Redesign of a historic ring road to account for

growth projections doubling the cityspopulation of 55,000 by 2035.

For $24 million, 1.4 miles of road were leveledand repaved, traffic signals removed, and

extensive green infrastructure installed.

In the first year post-development, for 10,000vehicles/day, only 6 reported accidents for allmodes.

Incorporates numerous woonerf designprinciples, including level surface, coloredpermeable pavers, pedestrian lighting, and lanenarrowing.

ASHFO

RDRIN

GROA

D

KENT,UK

BEFORE

AFTER

CASE DETAILS


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52 K

ENSIN

GTONMARKE

T

TORONTO,C

ANADA

Full width of

roadway used by

all modes

Bollards and

curbs used to

protect sidewalk

space

Narrow storefronts and

upper-level residences

provide vitality

CASE DETAILS: Live/work shops and artist lofts provide

residential and commercial opportunities towide income diversity.

Road is curbed and continuously parked, butis informally a shared space as people and

bicycles use main drive lane.

Community group made of residents, ownersand workers collaborate to maintain localnature of the market.

On Sundays, street ends are blocked off tomake for a pedestrian street.

CASE DETAILS


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53

FALSE

CREEK

N

VANCOUV

ER,CANAD

A

Limited access

for automobiles

through

bollarding

Ground-related units

with semi-private

front yards

Pedestrian-scale

lighting

*see document at http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/guidelines/H004

CASE DETAILS:Design guidelines* for high-density family housingthat promote: family-sized units passive surveillance from units ground-related housing links between protected, private

play spaces and public, outdoorplay spaces

13% of population is under 18 years old in theFalse Creek N neighborhood (compared to the5% of South Lake Union).

Integrates high-density, tower developmentwith ground-related housing options.

Shared streets run perpendicular to moretraditionally-organized arterial streets.

CASE DETAILS


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54

CASE DETAILS: Proposed* in 2008 for a cost of $117,000. The

project envisions a communal front yard.

With 40ft of roadway, Longfellow St wasunnecessarily wide and used primarily byspeeding, through traffic.

Design based on providing visual cues to slowtraffic and allowing pedestrians to use the fullwidth of the street.

Incorporates numerous woonerf designprinciples, including level surface, coloredpermeable pavers, pedestrian lighting, andlane narrowing.

L

ONGFELLOW

ST

S

ANTAMON

ICA,

USA

*see document at www.nelsonnygaard.com/Documents/Quals-Project-Proles/NNproj-Santa-Monica-Borderline.pdf


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DESIGN FEATURES +

RECOMMENDATIONS


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This section is designed to:


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DESIGNFEA

TURES

+

RECOMMENDATIONS

This section is designed to:1. Serve as a distillation of the most common and essential elements of design found in the case studies

While looking through the case studies, hopefully you noticed that no two projects looked identical and thateach project was a unique representation of living street design, custom-tailored to the specifics of eachlocation. While each case study may have taken on a different shape, color, and scale, there are commonalitiesbetween them that together constitute the essential elements of living street design. These commonalities

influenced the selection of the provided design features and the list of design recommendations proposed inthis section.

2. Offer a starting point for development of a conceptual living street plan

While not full exhaustive of the potential permutations of living street design, the following design featuressection offers a sample menu of how to arrange a living street and how to fill it with functional spaces. Thedesign features are separated into two types: street layout prototypes and design components.

For street layout prototypes pages, simplified forms are shown in a progression from most-standard on the

left to most-living streetesque on the right. Complex assemblies of these prototypical forms are possible andhave been built, but these graphics serve as a beginning point to start the process of rearranging street space.For instance, chicanes could occur on the same block as a mid-block roundabout, but what is important is thatthere is some element that contributes to lane diversion.

Following are the design components pages, which are divided into four categories: street furniture, surfaces,outdoor rooms, and green stormwater infrastructure. Unlike the layout prototypes, design components can beadded and combined in an endless variety of ways to create unique and interesting living streets. A successfulliving street design could have every component listed and more, but, as a minimum, it should have a couplefrom each category.

Later in the document, an example of how to assemble the layout prototypes and design components will beprovided. This example was quite helpful in my own design process to develop a conceptual design for 8thAve N.

STREET LAYOUT PROTOTYPES


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STREET LAYOUT PROTOTYPES

LANEDIVE

RSION

LANEWIDTH

ANDDIRECTION

PARKING

PINCH-POINTS CHICANEROUNDABOUTSBLOCK BULBS

20

STRAIGHT-LANE

2-WAY

18

16

SHARED PASS, BOTH SIDES

2-WAY

SHARED PASS, ONE SIDE

2-WAY

12

STRAIGHT LANE

1-WAY

PARALLEL ANGLED ANGLED STAGGERED BAY


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PEDESTRIAN-

PRIORITY

SPACE

STREETTREE

LAYOUT

FR

ONTYARDING

STOOP SUNKEN FENCED ATTACHED FENCED IN R.O.W.

CURB LINE LINEAR PARK BOULEVARD WOONERF

SIDEWALKS SIDEWALKS +

MID-BLOCK CROSSINGSHARED SPACE SHARED SPACE +

PROTECTED SIDEWALKS


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ESIGN

COMP

ONENTS:

S

TREETFU

RNITURE

BOLLARDS - ACT AS PERMEABLE BARRIERSTHAT PROTECT BUT DONT RESTRICTPEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT

SEATING - PROVIDES A PLACE TOSOCIALIZE, REST, PEOPLE-WATCH,CONTEMPLATE, AND PLAY.

PLANTERS - ESSENTIALLY GREENBOLLARDS. PROVIDE VISUAL ANDENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT

OVERHEAD PROTECTION - CREATESYEAR-ROUND GATHERING SPACES.

BIKE RACKS AND BAYS - PROMOTESBICYCLE USE AND CAN BREAK UP WALLS OFPARKING

BARRIER WALLS - CAN ENCLOSEOUTDOOR ROOMS WHILE PROVIDINGPLANTING SPACE OR SEATING

PLAY EQUIPMENT- IN A PROPERLYWORKING LIVING STREET, EVERYTHINGSHOULD BE PLAY EQUIPMENT

WATER FEATURES- PROVIDES VISUALINTEREST, PLAY POTENTIAL, AND CANREVEAL NATURAL WATER MOVEMENT

LIGHTING- LIFE DOESNT STOP AT DUSK


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D

ESIGN

COMP

ONENT

S:

SURFAC

ES

BRICKS - PEDESTRIAN AMENITY WITH ARUSTIC FEEL

PERVIOUS CONCRETE - SOLID, HARDSURFACE WITH STORMWATER MANAGEMENTPOTENTIAL

PLANTED PAVERS - VISUAL INTERESTCOUPLED WITH PERMEABLE BENEFITS

COLORED PAVERS - OPPORTUNITY FORARTISTIC PAVING AND A TEXTURED FEEL

STAMPED CONCRETE -THE LOOK OFBRICK WITH THE SIMPLICITY OF CONCRETE

NATURAL GROUNDCOVER - GREENBENEFITS FOR PLACES WHERE PEOPLESHOULDNT WALK

CONTAINED GRAVEL - CAN CATCHPOLLUTANTS AND BE REPLACED. GOOD FORPARKING SPACES

PAINT - AN EASY WAY TO SPRUCE UPANY SURFACE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FORCOMMUNITY EXPRESSION


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ESIGN

COMP

ONENTS:

O

UTDOOR

ROOMS

SEATING SQUARES- APLACEFOR CONVERSATION, OBSERVATION,RELAXATION, AND ENJOYMENT

POCKET PARK- SPACES TUCKED BETWEENBUILDINGS

GREEN PATCHES- SPOTS TO TOUCHEARTH

GROWING GARDENS- MEDITATIVESPACES TO SUPPLEMENT DIETS

PLAYGROUNDS- MONITORABLE SPACESFOR YOUTHLY RAMBUNCTIOUSNESS

BALLCOURTS- VENUES FOR FRIENDLYCOMPETITION

COMMUNITY KITCHENS- A PLACE FOR AWEEKEND BBQ OR A BLOCK PARTY BUFFET

STREET FOOD STATION- STREET LIFEWHEN YOU DONT FEEL LIKE COOKING

SHELTERS- PLACES TO GATHER DURINGTHE UNPLEASANT MONTHS

G


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D

ESIGN

COMPONENT

S:

GREEN

STORMWATERINFRASTRUCTU

RE

SWALES- LINEAR ELEMENTS DESIGNED TOSLOW AND CLEAN RAINWATER

GREEN WALLS- VERTICAL GROWINGPOTENTIAL THAT CAPTURES CO2 AND

BEAUTIFIES BUILDING SURFACES

GARDENS- MAKES LOCALLY-SOURCEDPRODUCE WHILE PROVIDING INFILTRATIONPOTENTIAL

CISTERNS- REGULATES WATER FLOW ANDFEEDS OTHER GREEN ELEMENTS

TREE PITS- HOME TO STREET TREES ANDSOIL ACCESS

Design: Integrated stormwater infrastructure


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gIn preparing a Living Street designation, the followingprinciples should be incorporated as part of the designguidelines:

Context-sensitive designAll features of a living street design plan should

be carefully tailored to the physical and spatialcharacteristics of the project site.

Narrow lane widthsLanes should be as narrow as possible while allowingfor emergency vehicle access

Public to private progressionDesign for activity throughout the range of spaceownership. Private interiors, semi-private stoops

and front yards, semi-public outdoor rooms, publicpathways.

Outdoor roomsOpen space provided in the right-of-way should beconsolidated to create a variety of play spaces, plazas,green patches, seating areas, and overhead protectedspaces.

Multi-age/function

Spaces should be designed for use by the full-range ofuser age and activity.

Adaptable/ownable spaceSpaces should be designed with established

edges, but adaptable interiors for residents daily use

D

ESIGN

R

ECOMMENDATIONS

g

Green spaces, plantings, and paving system shouldpromote ecological function of the street whileproviding edges to outdoor rooms, parking spaces,and pedestrian-protected spaces

Ground-oriented housing

The street wall should be composed primarily of unitsthat have entrances and windows that look out ontothe street and outdoor rooms

Travel lane diversion

Parking bays, outdoor rooms, and green featuresshould be used to disrupt l inear drive paths

ADA complianceProtected pedestrian-only spaces should be provided

for the length of the block to allow children, theelderly, and the disabled guaranteed safe passage

Permeable barriers

Features such as bollards, tree boxes, and plantersshould be used to define outdoor rooms whileallowing for easy passage by pedestrians

Intersection bridging

Street tables and continuation of paving type should

be used to provide physical and visual continuity ofthe living street as it crosses other streets

All-day lighting

Lighting should be provided that promotes apedestrian scale and a safe feeling throughout theentire day

ANALYSIS SECTION PAGE


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POLICY ANALYSIS +

RECOMMENDATIONS

THE PROBLEMCenter City Seattle has an age imbalance with an unsustainably low population of children. It is little surprise to find that the


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housing supply in the center city is predominantly comprised of studio and 1-bedroom units. Whether chicken or egg, not many

kids are living in center city and space to live and play is a factor.

AGES 0-4

AGES 5-9

AGES 10-14

AGES 15-20

AGES 21-24

Ages

CENTER CITY

POPULATION

Where are all of those kids going and what is forcing

their families to relocate?..*data adapted from 2000 US Census

BARRIERS TO URBAN LIVINGFor the most part, those families are moving out of the urban neighborhoods or out of the city altogether. If not addressed,


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CASH-LIMITEDSPRAWLING DEVELOPMENT

FAMILIES

ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

LIVABILTY

BARRIERS

AFFLUENT

EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENTSINGLES AND EMPTY NESTERS

SMALL

,EXPENSIVEHOUSING

p , g g y g ,

characteristics of the built environment can create barriers to a economically and socially diverse population.

D

ISTANTSCHOOLS

LOW

SENSEOFSAFETY

SCA

RCE,LOW-QUALITY

PU

BLICOPENSPACE

JOBL

OCATIONMISMATCH

LACK

OFESSENTIALSHOPS

ANDSERVICES

EX

PENSIVE,LIMITED

TRANSPORTATIONOPTIONS

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome those barriers...

LIVABLE STREETS PROVIDE USABLE SPACEFor lightly travelled streets, large swaths of potentially usable space sit vacant and unused for most of the day. Some streets, like


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g y , g p y p y ,

8th ave n, are simply over-designed for their demand and that space could be put to better use. By implementing living street

design, street space can be more efficiently used for a host of benefits.

24,000

VEHICLES/DAY22,000

20,000

18,000

16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,0008TH AVE N

ACTUAL USE

CAPACITYFOR A

STANDARD

TWO-LANE

ROAD

IMPROVED PEDESTRIANENVIRONMENT

BETTER SENSE OF SAFETY

MORE SPACE FOR PLAY

AND ACTIVITY

MORE SPACE FOR GREEN

FEATURES AND STORMWATER

MANAGEMENT

We just have to make the choice of what kind ofstreets we want...

TWO POSSIBLE PATHS FOR STREET DESIGNAs streets are developed, we can either continue to design conventionally or we can choose to design better. Streets for moving


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VEHICLE

ORIENTED

STREETS

MODE

SEPARATION

INDUCED

SPEEDING

REDUCED

SAFETY

LESS PLAY

AND

INTERACTION

PEOPLE

ORIENTED

STREETS

SHARED

SPACE

SLOWER

SPEEDS

INCREASED

SAFETY

MORE PLAY

AND

INTERACTION

p g y g gthrough or streets for living in.

STATUS QUO

LIVING STREETS

Through living street design we can have less of...

UNSAFE STREETS THROUGH STANDARD DESIGNAlthough they are designed to promote safety though long sight-distances, standard lane design induces drivers to peed


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5 10 3530252015 40

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

0

LIVING STREET SPEEDS STANDARD STREET SPEEDS

PROBABILITYOF DEATH

FROM IMPACT

FOR PEDESTRIAN

SPEED OF VEHICLE IN

COLLISION WITH

PEDESTRIAN

y y

because they see straight-aways that pedestrians arent supposed to be in. But when collisions occur, higher speeds mean more

deaths. Living street design encourages slower speeds.

Living streets also provides nice benefits such as...

*data adapted from D.C. Richards (2010) Relationship between

Speed and Risk of Fatal Injury: Pedestrians and Car Occupants,

Department for Transport: London

INCREASED SPACE FOR PLAY AND SOCIALIZATIONBy increasing safety and providing usable space, living street design gets kids outdoors and active. Whether its more kids

i b j i i kid di i l i id li i i h f hild i


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95%INCREASE

PRE-WOONERF123 KIDS

POST-WOONERF241 KIDS

KIDS

OBSERVED ATPLAY OUTIDE

OF HOMES

AVERAGE

DURATIONOF OUTDOOR

PLAY 53%INCREASE

PRE-WOONERF9.85 MINUTES

POST-WOONERF15.15 MINUTES

TOTAL

CHILDREN-MINUTES OFOUTDOORPLAY TIME

201%INCREASE

PRE-WOONERF

1,211 MINUTES

POST-WOONERF3,657 MINUTES

1816%INCREASE

PRE-WOONERF6 COUNTS

POST-WOONERF115 COUNTS

PRE-WOONERF5 COUNTS

POST-WOONERF

67 COUNTS

PRE-WOONERF45 COUNTS


PRE-WOONERF8 COUNTS


1240%INCREASE

484%INCREASE

1262%INCREASE

SPORTS PLAY

NON-SPORT,ACTIVE PLAY

SOCIAL PLAY

BICYCLE PLAY

moving nearby or just existing kids spending more time playing outside, living streets increase the presence of children in a

neighborhood.

Which is why we need...

*data adapted from The Impact of Woonerven on Childrens

Behaviorby Brenda Eubank-Ahrens for the Institute for Landscape

Planning, Technical University of Berlin

A GOAL-ORIENTED, OUTCOME-DRIVEN DESIGN PROCESSTo properly align our urban livability goals with the designs we produce, it is crucial that we identify the inputs we will


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GOALS INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

A PUBLIC REALM THAT

FOSTERS ACTIVITY

AND HAPPINESS

PEOPLE BEING ABLE

TO ENJOY SPENDING

TIME OUTSIDE OF

THEIR HOMES

DESIGNATION OF

AND INVESTMENT

IN LIVING STREET

DESIGN COLLABORATIVE CITY/

COMMUNITY DESIGN

MEETINGS

SAFER, MORE

USABLE STREET

SPACE

COMMUNITIES OF

CULTURAL, ECONOMIC

AND FAMILY SIZE

DIVERSITY

ENVIRONMENTALLY

SUSTAINABLE

NEIGHBORHOODS

INCENTIVES FOR

AFFORDABLE AND

FAMILY-SIZED UNITS

ASSOCIATED WITH

LIVING STREETS

REQUIREMENTS

FOR STORMWATER

MANAGING PUBLIC

SPACE BUILDING AND SITE

DESIGN STANDARDS

THAT LINK TO LIVING

STREET FEATURES

SWALES GARDENS TREES PLANTERS GREEN ROOFS GREEN WALLS PERMEABLE SURFACES

AN AGE, INCOME,

AND BACKGROUND

DIVERSE

POPULATION

A CARBON-NEUTRAL

NEIGHBORHOOD

2-3 BEDROOM UNITS

AT A RANGE OF

INCOME LEVELS

y y y

use for implementation, the output indicators by which we will measure success, and the desired outcomes we hope to

achieve.

City-wide:I t Li i St t