Plazas as Places for People

One thing our time in Spain continues to remind of is the delightfulness of inviting and vibrant public spaces.  These are the essence of what make a city come alive and give it vitality.

Throughout our time in Spain we have come across so many wonderfully designed public spaces. One of our favorite types of public space is the public plaza, which come here in all shapes and sizes. These spaces, when designed well and located in the right places, are a treasure.

Even in the sweltering heat here in Seville, after the afternoon break or siesta, people fill these plazas to eat, visit, and play. They are a key driver of what makes Seville such a well-loved and lively city.  For my family with two rambunctious boys the most successful urban plazas:

1. include seating
2. incorporate shade
3. address safety from any nearby vehicle traffic
4. allow for rotating activities and performers
5. include design elements that are engaging for children (such as rocks to hop across, statues to climb on, etc)

On the home front, urban planners just presented to the Austin City Council the concepts for a pilot form-based code for Airport Boulevard in Austin that will focus on improving the urban landscape along that corridor. What remains to be seen in the Airport Boulevard make-over is whether the city can figure out how to successfully incorporate vibrant public spaces that are attractive to residents of all ages. Here's to hoping that well-designed, family-friendly urban plazas are part of the make-over.

Neighborhood plaza adjoining the outdoor cafe we ate at last night.
There were several small kids who lived in an apartment next door  riding their bikes around. And other kids playing on the statute steps to the right.

Barcelona

San Sebastian

For more info on high quality public spaces:

Project for Public Places
Better Block
Seattle Center City for Families 
San Antonio (close to Austin, San Antonio has been doing lots of interesting work recently on transforming its downtown public areas into lively, family-friendly places).