Sitting Requirements for Urban Spaces

Since our initial assignment to watch William H. Whyte's video: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, I have tried to find Whyte's seven requirements he concluded that are necessary to have a successful urban space in each field visit we went to in New York . These requirements include: sittable space, street relationship, sun, food, water features, trees, and triangulation (strangers). Whyte clearly emphasizes that sittable space is the key factor to a successful public space. He states, “People tend to sit where there are places to sit”. Users will even sit in places that are not meant to sit on. Urban spaces should not only offer one type of seating but “choice should be built into the basic design. Even though benches and chairs can be added, the best course is to maximize the sittability of inherent features.” He also states several recommendations for positive sittable space including: “one linear foot of sitting space per 30 square feet”, movable seating, “making the most of ledges, especially the front row”, “make benches two back sides deep to provide more choice”, and planters. This is a good start to a list of requirements for seating in public space it lacks information of how people actually use the forms given to them to seat on. Considering that seating is the key factor to good public spaces, why is there not more information on how people actually use the provided seating and inherent seating built into the urban form? To offer more choices, designers need to know how people sit or even lay in urban spaces.

For my final project, I choose to study seating in public spaces to better understand how users adapt to urban spaces and forms in order to explain what elements of seating should be included in successful urban spaces. Using Columbus Circle as my case study, I used photography and on-site visual documentation of how people adapt to the provided seating and inherent built forms of the space. While on site, I documented different positions sit in on benches, where they like to site on ledges, where they like to lay and sunbath. 

In Whyte’s Video he mentions that benches should be two back sides deep not to provide more seating but more choices. He mentions the choice to sit facing one way or the other but I discovered that deep seating provides more choice then shown in his video. It provides users to sit far back with their legs out straight on the bench, couples or small groups and sit crossed legged and face each other, and it allows people to sit down and then lay back with their feet on the ground.

Although there are benches provided in this space, users still find other spaces to sit on. Directly in the center of the circle is a monument with stepped ledges that users sit and lay on. This Whyte remarks that spaces should provide front row seating for the users of the space but this rule changes when you have elevated seating options. People tend to sit at the top and not at the bottom or so called “front seat”. Elevated seating provides better views of the users surroundings and in this particular space, it allows the users to see beyond the fountain. I have also found this same condition on the Highline. 

 
Besides just sitting, I encountered numerous users using the seating and fountain ledges as places to lie down and nap. Although, most would consider napping as something you do in a private space many people choose to nap in public for several reasons including gaining warmth from the sun and “not to escape the city, but to partake in it.” (Whyte)  People who choose to lay in public do not necessary lay off to the side but often close to others who are sitting or even walking through the same space. Both people who sit and lay want to bask in the warmth of the sun. Also, stone and concrete holds the suns warmth creating perfect laying condition for those who wish to take a nap and keep warm.

When designing a public space seating should not only be considered for sitting but also laying down. Form and materials choice should both be considered when designing a public space. Users should have multiple choices on not only seating location but also seating/laying positions. Spaces should provide sun and shade to increase seating options. Elevated or stepped ledges should also be made available for those who like a better view of their surroundings.

Pocket Parks VS. Overscaled Parks!

Paley Park, a pocket park in Midtown East and the Highline, a large over-scaled elevated park in Chelsea, at first glance may be different in every way imaginable but take a close look and you find similarities in each park. They both foster the same activities but these same activities are carried out in a different manner based on the space. One space, Paley Park, is the ideal setting for individual or small groups to get away from the busy work day. Individuals tend to listen to music or the waterfall while reading and small groups gather to converse with each other. The users of their space tend be to keep a watchful eye on those that are not suppose to be there, the tourists. While the other space, the Highline, is the ideal space for the tourist and locals to coexist. It is a very casual and fun park where people gather to relax, socialize and take photos. Just as Paley Park both individuals and groups of users occupy this space and they do the same activities, reading, listening to music, and socializing. The difference between the two spaces is how weary the users are of outsiders. While the users in Paley Park seem to consistently keep their eyes on who is coming and going, on the Highline no one seems to care who else is around them or what anyone else is doing.

Paley Park

A park so small and tucked away that most people don't even know that it exists. This is not your typical tourist attraction like Central Park or the Highline but instead a small oasis. Tourists that do come to the park rarely step foot inside and only stop for a minute or two to take photos from the outside looking in. The few that do enter this small well maintained park are from nearby offices. Workers sit in small groups in chairs around small ergonomically unfriendly tables and converse while the waterfall provides white noise to mask the nearby street traffic and other conversations.

 Highline Park

Unlike Paley Park, the Highline is a large park designed for both tourists and locals. Although it is a very large over-scaled park, just like Paley Park, you can miss it if you are not paying attention because it is built on an old elevated railway and may be hard to find if you if you’re looking on the ground for it. Unlike Paley, tourists feel totally welcomed here and take pictures throughout the whole park and not just from the entrance. This large park offers many different areas to sit and converse. Because it is elevated, you are lifted from the street noise below and the breeze provides not only a relief from the hot summer sun but also white noise to mask traffic and other conversations. One section of the park also has a water feature intended to walk on/through but also provides white noise as well. 

Adaptable Use in Times Square

While visiting Mid-town Manhattan, I went to Times Square, the epicenter of human activity, to investigate how people add to the overall quality of space by adaptively using the space. I was surprised at what I found. It was not the adaptation I noticed but the lack of adapting. I suppose this lack of adaptation is the result of a combination of different aspects, partly good design and partly human behavior. To most, adaptions or the lack there of, are not noticeable but when you look closely at a space over time you will begin to notice them. I was surprised that the only obvious adaption I found in Times Square was people sitting on street curbs in the pedestrian areas but even these small adaptation can only be seen during peak tourists days when the designed seating areas are full. The most interesting find that I did not even notice until walking up and down Broadway a few times was the pedestrian movement is more concentrated on the sidewalks. Some may disagree with this statement but once you try walking on the sidewalk verses on the street in the pedestrian area, you will notice that it is much more difficult to navigate on the sidewalk then on the street. This may be caused subconsciously by the user after years of being told to walk on the sidewalk and not in the street. Even though this section of Broadway is now pedestrian only, it has all the elements of a traditional vehicular street. The concrete sidewalks, steel curb and asphalt (now painted blue) street pavement. Also, people feel safer crossing roads at crosswalks and each sidewalk ends in a crosswalk. Even though you can safely cross the streets that run transversely through Times Square from pedestrian area to the next without using the designated sidewalk crossing, people still feel safer with a traffic light and white lines saying it's OK to cross.

Times Square

Times square is a major commercial center located at the intersections of Broadway and 7th Ave, stretching from 42nd to 47th St.  Here, unlike Columbus circle just to the North, the building play an important role in the form of the space. The building provide external social stimulus in forms in the form of entertainment for the users of the space.

As one enters Times Square, it is obvious how signage is a major source of entertainment to the public. Above the public stands and watches themselves on the billboard and waves to find where they are. Other types of signage include advertisements and store signage.

Not only are users located on ground level but you also find users in storefront and balconies overlooking the busy street.

You may also find advertisement, like this one above, on moving vehicles that share the space with pedestrians.

What was once a busy vehicular roadway along Broadway is now a bustling pedestrian only area. The users have adapted to the existing form by using the curb as seating.

Many of the users are tourists and enjoy sitting, socializing and people watching while taking in the site.

Just as people are adaptable to sitting on curbs, they are also adaptable to window sills or anything that has even a slight ledge at a comfortable height.

While walking through, you may notice that many users, more singles then groups, site close to traffic and watch the vehicles go by.

Within this space, you will also find many vendors  targeting tourists including the tour guides .

In addition to commercial vendors, there are also free or donation sideshow entertainment. Above: Group of sailors giving free hugs.

Other entertainment includes the Naked Cowgirl (shown above), silver statue men, brides, etc.

As you move away from Times Square, where more space provides larger entertainment, you can also find break dancers and large crowds that gather to watch.

These types of entertainment often times try to involve the audience in the performance to enhance the entertainment and increase donations.

Theses spaces are use to showcase art, demonstration areas and social gatherings.

Street vendors are often found on the side streets coming off times square trying to catch pedestrians as they move in and out of Times Square. In these locations, vendors are out of the way but still in proximity to their potential customers.

Also, Just North of Times Square Along Broadway, you will also find many street vendors for charity donations and public entertainment such as mural painting.

Times square is one of richest parts of New York . It shows from it high-end new stands, relatively clean sidewalks, and police security.

There are several plazas located near times square and not all of them are successful. Above is a sunken commercial courtyard that is not use by the public. There are no seats and a lack of connection to the above street life.

Above the secluded below grade plaza is another raised plaza that is successful. There is plenty of seating, shade provided by the building and trees, and a good connection to the street life.

Columbus Circle

The following pictures are focused on Columbus Circle in midtown Manhattan. The circle is located at the main entrance to Central Park and is surrounded by retail, commercial and museums. What makes Columbus Circle a place instead of an ordinary space is not its surrounding but what happens within the space. In most cases buildings create the form of a place but in this case the sidewalks, monuments and fountains create the form which in turn molds the place.

Directly in the center of Columbus Circle a monument where people seat, eat lunch, watch others and bask in the sun. The base of the monument unintentionally makes ideal seating for socializing

Surrounding the monument are additional seating that, by William H. Whytes requirements for seating, are perfect for everyday use by its users. The seats are double back wide to offer multiple seating options. People can choose to face the monument or the fountain while socializing, people watching or even eating lunch.

The fountain in the Circle provides white noise to block out the vehicular traffic around the circle.

Dogs and even some human users use the fountain to cool there feet from the hot pavement.

Sidewalks on the outer circle are busy with pedestrians traveling from one place to another.

Vendors provide street life for pedestrians. They are found along side the curb of the outer circle where they are close to  pedestrians, their target buyers.

Entertainment, such as the Statue of Liberty impersonator, provide additional street life.

Off the circle pedestrian areas where put in place alongside the road. By Whytes requirements  the pedestrians are not cut off from either buildings or traffic making it a successful social place.

We must also acknowledge that the transition from Columbus Circle to Central Park is  also very busy space. There is constant movement whether it be pedestrian or rickshaw. Vendors also flank the two entrances and the low wall creates perfect seating underneath the large trees that create shade from the hot summer sun.

Analysis of William H. Whytes Video: "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces"

William H. Whyte, from the Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 1980.

The Video, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, by William H. Whyte originally accompanied a publication Whyte released in 1980. The ideas and findings from Whyte’s study were incorporated into the New York City zoning ordinances to provide better urban public spaces within the city to encourage social interactions between users of the spaces. Although, the city has changed very much since the 1980’s, his findings still hold true to the social aspects of urban public spaces. The study, The Street Life Project, which Whyte conducted, identified several key requirements that public spaces must have to make successful public spaces.  The main characteristics Whyte discusses includes: sittable space, street relationship, the sun, food, water features, trees, and triangulation.