Sidewalks and Safety

    I have always enjoyed reading Jane Jacobs because she not only observes the things that happen in the city but offers solutions to the problems she has seen. She turns something as simple as a sidewalk into conscious architectural practice. Her observations are also very spot on. For example, the sidewalk is a space that is policed by the public. The safest sidewalks are those that are walked regularly and provided a clear boundary between what is public and what is private. 

    This idea of the safe sidewalk might be common sense, but I bet if you were to ask the class about their experience of sidewalks, their response would be mixed. I am thinking of responses in terms of gender. If I had to guess, a majority of the males in our class have probably rarely come across unsafe sidewalks. But the females can probably think of at least one unsafe sidewalk they have recently walked. I know from my own experience that even the safest sidewalks can become unsafe once the sun has set. I can recall many times when I have been warned to keep my wits about me on a low-lit street. 

    I suppose what I am getting at is that user experience differs based on our experiences and the demographics we fall under. There are certain aspects of design that get overlooked because we are not immediately affected by the implications of our designs. Something as simple as a sidewalk can be designed so that all users feel safe in the space. If we take some time to put ourselves in others' shoes, we can become better designers.