Is Public Space a Public Good? [Dispatches]

Peer Reviewed Title: Is Public Space a Public Good? [Dispatches] Journal Issue: Places, 17(1) Author: Fisher, Thomas Publication Date: 2005 Publication Info: Places Permalink: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/05t264qg Acknowledgements: This article was originally produced in Places Journal. To subscribe, visit www.places-journal.org. For reprint information, contact [email protected]. Keywords: places, placemaking, architecture, environment, landscape, urban design, public realm, planning, design, dispatches, public space, public good, University of Minnesota, Kristine Miller, Thomas Fisher Copyright Information: All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. Contact the author or original publisher for any necessary permissions. eScholarship is not the copyright owner for deposited works. Learn more at http://www.escholarship.org/help_copyright.html#reuse eScholarship provides open access, scholarly publishing services to the University of California and delivers a dynamic research platform to scholars worldwide. Dispatch Is Public Space a Public Good? Thomas Fisher In our country, almost irrationally showed how a landscape architect rarely encounter anyone or anything suspicious of the public sector and could hold together a newly cre- by chance anymore. As a result, many seemingly determined to incapacitate ated Dutch suburb, determining not people fear real public space because government, public space plays an only the major moves, but also the they lack experience with it. increasingly important role as both details that link the designs of various Yet, the resolution of such public a place of refuge for all who get left architects. In both cases, public space confl icts may be the most important behind in the rush to privatization, becomes the way to bind together dis- contribution design can make in our and as a place of resistance for all who parate people, reminding us that our world, evident in the examples of see danger in an ever more radical professional responsibility includes traditional public spaces discussed by right wing. The University of Min- the health of communities and ecosys- historian Marc Trieb and landscape nesota’s College of Architecture and tems, the safety of our air and water, architect Laurie Olin. Trieb described Landscape Architecture sponsored and the welfare of future generations the design of Senate and Market a symposium in October entitled and even other species. Squares in Helsinki, two spaces that, “Public Space, Public Good?” that Landscape architects Dianne while close together and roughly the touched on such questions. Organized Harris and Walter Hood examined same size, have very different func- by faculty member Kristine Miller, the ambivalence Americans have about tions and characters based on what the symposium brought together the public realm. Harris critiqued surrounds them. Public space, in architects, landscape architects, and Chicago’s new Millennium Park, an other words, depends for its vitality urban designers to evaluate the state expensive and exclusive public space on the surrounding private property, of public space and the nature of the that offers suburbanites an urban spec- just as the value of the latter depends public good in an era in which both tacle, complete with the “corporate upon the quality of the former. Olin concepts have come into question. graffi ti” of private sponsors on almost recounted his work on the restora- Miller led off with a chapter from everything. At a time when Chicago’s tion and revitalization of New York’s her forthcoming book on privatized schools and streets badly need money, Bryant Park, where the quality of life public spaces in New York City. Harris asked if this constitutes the in the space depends on improved Focusing on the IBM atrium, she best use of limited government funds. design, management, maintenance, asked what recourse the public has Hood showed two parks of his design and programming, all working when private owners alter spaces in Oakland, where the local commu- together. intended for public use, as happened nity demanded space for various uses, The symposium ended with a when the IBM atrium’s original ranging from an open market to public spirited conversation among the par- bamboo garden, designed by Zion & toilets. In the end, Hood suggested, ticipants. Do we have too much public Breen, received major modifi cations. the public should make the ultimate space, asked Hood — more than we She called for a public role in oversee- decisions about the use of such spaces. can afford? In reply, Olin asked, rhe- ing the changes to privately owned Architects Linda Schneekloth and torically, why we even have parks, or spaces provided in exchange for bonus Robert Shibley spoke about public why we care about public life. Such space. That, however, will take a space at a very different scale, the questions refl ect the embattled quality public sector in the U.S. that doesn’t entire Niagara region. They pro- of public space in the age of terror- cower, as so often happens now, in the posed the idea of “ethical theming” ism and privatization. Public space face of private power. to embrace those who often get over- has certainly become the stage on Architect Frank Mora and land- looked in the typical branding of a which the global struggle between the scape architect Ludewijk Baljon region to attract tourists. At Niagara, rich and poor, the disingenuous and showed public-realm projects they this concept would involve seeing the the disenfranchised, now gets played have designed in Puerto Rico and Niagara River not as an edge separat- out. Some might reasonably wonder Holland respectively. Mora demon- ing two countries, but as the center if such problems would vanish if we strated that often simple moves, like of a single region. Politicians and were to get rid of all public space. cleaning up local streets or creating a planners have long depended upon But terrorists have shown themselves new neighborhood entrance, can have boundaries and edges to separate adept at creating public space faster a transformative effect, engaging the people and thus reduce confl ict — a than we could ever take it away. The inhabitants and restoring the social substitution of distance for discourse World Trade Center towers, almost infrastructure. Meanwhile, Baljon that has reached a point where people entirely private property, became a Places 17.1 81 GreenBuild 2004 Mara Baum global public space as soon as the fi rst Few professional organizations grow broad-based coalition, can leverage plane hit on 9/11. We cannot escape by over 1,000 percent in just four its diverse knowledge and collective public space, so we have no choice but years, but the U.S. Green Building power to change the industry. As to understand it. Council has gained such momentum. of August 2004, 195 million square Shibley then asked if the fear or More than 8,000 people attended its feet of new construction had either misunderstanding of public space three-day annual conference (known achieved LEED certifi cation or was in comes from a paucity in the language as the GreenBuild Expo) in Portland, the process of doing so. we use in talking about it. Were we Oregon, last year. That represented a The GreenBuild Expo is USGBC’s to talk about social space in all of its 90 percent increase from the fi rst such second major initiative. This year’s diversity, rather than the somewhat event in 2002. This year, USGBC GreenBuild covered a variety of sub- singular idea of public space, we would anticipates an attendance of more than ject matter, including architecture, have a better understanding of it. Such 10,000 at its 2005 meeting in Atlanta. urban design, mechanical engineer- space would certainly not remain, as USGBC has now become the lead- ing, interior design, planning and Miller said, what is left over from what ing national organization to promote public health. Attendees at the Nov. the law defi nes as private property. and educate green building, and 10-12 event were able to choose Understanding the social gradients of GreenBuild has become the must-go between a dozen attractions, including public space, added Trieb, would help conference for industry professionals. the expo fl oor with 480 exhibitors, a us see that it can happen anywhere, on Meanwhile, the council’s growth in master speaker series, and ten simulta- public or private property. numbers has led to a parallel growth neous learning sessions. Likewise, the fear of public space in vision and scope. Today the USG- The educational sessions included can be addressed, said Moya, by seeing BC’s membership and infl uence are such diverse topics as “Sustain- it as a way for us to deal with our spreading both beyond the United able Housing in a Global Context”; cultural differences. It is a place, said States and beyond buildings. “Green From the Developer’s Stand- Olin, in which a variety of people can point”; “Are We Poisoning Our Prog- meet in safety. The symposium ended Major Initiatives eny?”; “‘Waste is Food’ — Integrating with a recognition of the paradoxical Founded in 1993, USGBC today Waste Recovery into the Construc- nature of public space in our time: represents a coalition of 5,300 tion Process”; and “Visionary and people fear such space because they member organizations, including Applied Approaches to Sustainable feel vulnerable in it; yet they need it professional fi rms, government agen- Design and New Urbanism.” But more than ever, for it will enable them cies, product manufacturers, research more than one-fi fth of the sixty learn- to interact with others and overcome institutions, universities, and nonprof- ing sessions at the recent conference that fear. its. Its mission is nothing less than to (an average of two per time slot) It may sometimes seem that every- transform the construction industry discussed planning, urban design, or thing worthwhile has been either to embrace high-performance green global issues beyond the scope of a privatized or mediated, but we should building standards.

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