The social use of space.

Margaret Crawford’s perspective on everyday urbanism is “an approach to Urbanism that finds its meanings in everyday life.”

“The concept of everyday space delineates the physical domain of everyday public activity.  Existing in between such defined and physically identifiable realms as the home, the workplace, and the institution, everyday urban space is the connective tissue that binds daily lives together.  Everyday space stands in contrast to the carefully planned, officially designated, and often underused spaces of public use that can be found in most American cities.”

According to Crawford, I believe Everyday Urbanism to be a conceptualized methodology of designing the built environment based on occupancy interactions.  This grants designers the opportunity to sculpt their imagination around public activity without appropriating the space.  I think the most successful place is one where several perspectives can appreciate the same spatial qualities, creating their own memories, yet still be moved in such a way that leaves an impact on their outlook of architecture.

You may ask how a designer can achieve that?

Using the criteria Crawford researched, is good strategy of beginning to implement these architectural moves: Time and Space, Politics of Everyday, and Dilemmas, such as Reality, Reassembly and Dialogue.  We can achieve Everyday Urbanism, by not only taking advantage of the vacant opportunities in cities, but properly observing and listening to its’ residents and its impact as a city on its neighbors.  Designs for the improvement of the city can reshape an environment towards a positive social change, without forcing the negative aspects from those not even living in that space everyday.  That ideal of creating a micro-utopia is unrealistic and should not be attempted, but rather introducing green spaces in areas overpopulated with traffic to encourage a calm environment, or upfitting murals on abandoned buildings to change the view of a struggling city.  These small gestures will eventually create a chain of success within the city’s aesthetics and promote togetherness.  Underused public spaces will transform into the new hipster spot in the city and invite an influx of design proposals.