SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research Volume 2 Article 11 2019 People, Politics, and Plazas: A Comparative Analysis of Dallas (City Hall Plaza) and Copenhagen (Rådhuspladsen) Ashley Hong Southern Methodist University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.smu.edu/jour Part of the Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons Recommended Citation Hong, Ashley (2019) "People, Politics, and Plazas: A Comparative Analysis of Dallas (City Hall Plaza) and Copenhagen (Rådhuspladsen)," SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 4 , Article 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25172/jour.4.1.11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by SMU Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research by an authorized administrator of SMU Scholar. For more information, please visit http://digitalrepository.smu.edu. Hong: People, Politics, and Plazas People, Politics, and Plazas: A Comparative Analysis of Dallas (City Hall Plaza) and Copenhagen (Rådhuspladsen) * Ashley Hong
[email protected] ABSTRACT Public plazas are an integral part of urban life and they generally take familiar forms. Yet not all public spaces function as intended and, ultimately, not all are successful. The following comparative analysis of Dallas City Hall Plaza and Copenhagen’s Rådhuspladsen explores what makes public plazas “work.” More specifically, while, both plazas are architecturally similar, City Hall Plaza remains largely unused and desolate while Rådhuspladsen is bustling and lively. This multi-method project begins by exploring the historical development of public space in Dallas and Copenhagen and continues with an ethnographic study of each plaza. Findings suggest that the success of public plazas can be attributed to five recurrent themes: attraction and engagement, sustainability and nature, visibility, public transportation and pedestrian accessibility, and integration.