Form follows Community
According to Jane Jacobs, impressions of the safety of a place are based on how well people know each other – there are more complete strangers in cities versus more acquaintances in towns. Concerns for safety still exist in both places, however, one’s interpretation of the safety of a place inherently starts with their perceived relationship to other people.
As designers, we are, of course, constantly focused on the aesthetics of a place and how our design looks – it’s what we do. However, what Jacobs argues is that none of that matters if you can’t perceive a sense of community with your neighbors, visitors, and passers-by. Especially, designed public spaces won’t reach their full potential if they don’t address the way that people meet, interact, and watch each other as a top priority.
A place can force this positive relationship between people, even complete strangers. This place, for Jacobs, is the street and its sidewalks – nothing built at all. Therefore, our challenge as designers, is to create public places that encourage a sense of community wherever they are located – city, suburb, or small town. I believe if this is our top priority, rather than just good design, conflict in the public realm can be addressed in a proactive, positive manner.
If anything, this is one of the best arguments we can find for form follows function, and in this case, community.
As designers, we are, of course, constantly focused on the aesthetics of a place and how our design looks – it’s what we do. However, what Jacobs argues is that none of that matters if you can’t perceive a sense of community with your neighbors, visitors, and passers-by. Especially, designed public spaces won’t reach their full potential if they don’t address the way that people meet, interact, and watch each other as a top priority.
A place can force this positive relationship between people, even complete strangers. This place, for Jacobs, is the street and its sidewalks – nothing built at all. Therefore, our challenge as designers, is to create public places that encourage a sense of community wherever they are located – city, suburb, or small town. I believe if this is our top priority, rather than just good design, conflict in the public realm can be addressed in a proactive, positive manner.
If anything, this is one of the best arguments we can find for form follows function, and in this case, community.
Jane Jacobs
aestheticrealism.org
Louis Sullivan
en,wikipedia.org
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