Great public spaces are the living room of the city - the
place where people come together to enjoy the city and each other.
Public spaces range from grand central plazas
and squares, to small, local neighborhood parks.
Public squares provide citizens with places for various leisure and outdoor activities.
People of the city can relax, sit, read a book, play games, meet with friends etc. in these public areas.
People of the city can relax, sit, read a book, play games, meet with friends etc. in these public areas.
The activities are not predefined or limited in the urban squares.
Public squares can also be used for ceremonies, rituals, political activities, musical events, even theatre, and as marketplaces.
Public squares have also ecological benefits to the urban environment. Green areas and water surfaces within a square provide habitat for living organisms. Existence of green areas within a public square also helps to improve air quality, lessen surface water runoff, reduce noise levels and screen unwanted or undesirable views, and reduce negative effects of urban heat islands.
Well-designed public squares increase the visual landscape value and contribute to environmental aesthetics. While contributing to the overall city image, visual landscapes appreciated by individuals also have positive psychological impacts on the users of the place. Another psychological benefit that urban squares provide is that they are where people can relax and enjoy their spare time during their busy urban daily lives.
Form
A public squares form is influenced by the surrounding environment. Even though the word “square” points out a form itself, a public square can be in any form such as rectangle, square, circle, triangle or amorphous.Camillo Sitte, in his work “City Planning According to Artistic Principles” focuses on the visual appearance rather than the functionality and defines the ideal morphologicalaesthetic criteria of the urban square as :
- Enclosure; closed and protected space,
- The center should be free,
- Monuments that are placed on the perimeter,
- Existence of the elements of surprise,
- Attractiveness of architectural façades,
- Concavity and aesthetic pavement.
"Advances in Landscape Architecture", by M. Özyavuz , ISBN 978-953-51-1167-2, Published: July 1, 2013 under CC BY 3.0 license. ©