0:00:48.911,0:00:53.146 This is the plaza of the Seagram Building[br]in New York, late morning. 0:00:53.146,0:00:58.500 For the timelapse camera, we were testing[br]a hypothesis: the sun, we were pretty sure, 0:00:58.500,0:01:02.990 would be the chief factor in determining[br]where people would sit or not sit. 0:01:02.990,0:01:09.187 Now, just after twelve, they begin to sit[br]right where the sun is. 0:01:09.187,0:01:13.315 I was enormously pleased. What a perfectly[br]splendid correlation! 0:01:13.315,0:01:18.680 It was quite misleading as we were to see[br]later, but it was a very encouraging way to start. 0:01:20.952,0:01:25.133 We were studying the Seagram Plaza[br]because it was one of the most popular. 0:01:25.133,0:01:28.142 Many people didn't think that it would be,[br]but it was, 0:01:28.142,0:01:30.951 and we wanted to find out why. 0:01:30.951,0:01:36.745 Our research group, the Street Life Project,[br]had been observing other kinds of city spaces. 0:01:39.752,0:01:43.058 One was a block off 101st St. in[br]East Harlem. 0:01:44.586,0:01:50.914 We didn't know it at the time, but almost[br]every factor that later we were to find 0:01:50.914,0:01:55.364 was important for a city space, we [br]could have found out right here. 0:01:55.364,0:01:57.911 The clues were right under our noses. 0:02:09.416,0:02:13.803 We had studied play areas such as this[br]adventure playground. 0:02:13.803,0:02:18.283 It was very good one, too. Wonderfully[br]messy, lots of dirt and mud, 0:02:18.283,0:02:20.859 and the water that kids loved so much. 0:02:20.859,0:02:24.970 Sometimes it was crowded, and this was[br]a problem that we were very interested in, 0:02:24.970,0:02:29.663 because we had started out with great concern[br]over the problem of urban overcrowding. 0:02:30.496,0:02:34.517 But, the more we studied this play area[br]and other play areas, 0:02:34.517,0:02:38.154 the more we began to realize that the great[br]problem of these spaces 0:02:38.154,0:02:40.898 is not overuse, but under use. 0:02:40.898,0:02:45.208 Even this playground - a very good one -[br]on a day like now, 0:02:45.208,0:02:50.004 which is a beautiful day in July, sometimes[br]is almost completely empty 0:02:50.004,0:02:51.860 except for the play director. 0:02:53.112,0:02:58.295 When we looked at the center of the city,[br]we found under use was even more apparent. 0:02:58.977,0:03:05.266 Most office building plazas were empty most of the time, even at lunch on a beautiful day. 0:03:05.266,0:03:07.570 Now, it wasn't meant to be that way. 0:03:07.570,0:03:12.978 The city had been giving bonuses - floor space [br]bonuses - to builders for providing plazas. 0:03:12.988,0:03:16.374 If the builders did, they could add more[br]floors to their building. 0:03:16.374,0:03:17.675 And, so they did. 0:03:17.971,0:03:20.830 They built the extra floors, and got all [br]that extra money, 0:03:20.830,0:03:24.455 and in return, they gave these empty [br]spaces. 0:03:24.455,0:03:27.984 In other cities, whether through the bonus[br]provision or not, 0:03:27.984,0:03:32.477 builders seemed to come up with the same[br]kind of dreary, empty spaces. 0:03:36.880,0:03:40.933 But, some plazas had lots of people, like[br]the Seagram. 0:03:40.933,0:03:46.354 Suppose we could find out what it was [br]that made the good ones work, and the others not. 0:03:46.354,0:03:49.260 We put the matter to the planning[br]commission. 0:03:49.269,0:03:54.447 They said if we could nail down the [br]answers - back them up with facts - 0:03:54.447,0:03:58.047 they would draw up a new zoning resolution [br]for open spaces. 0:03:58.047,0:03:59.782 So, we went to work. 0:03:59.782,0:04:04.492 We set up cameras for time-lapse coverage of [br]a cross-section of spaces - 0:04:04.492,0:04:07.830 about fourteen plazas and three small [br]parks. 0:04:07.830,0:04:12.619 But, our main technique was simple,[br]direct observation. 0:04:12.619,0:04:17.867 We made up maps for each of the spaces[br]and then we would go around periodically, 0:04:17.867,0:04:21.025 and map where the people sat, what [br]they were doing, 0:04:21.025,0:04:23.904 what the time of day was, the temperature, [br]and so on. 0:04:24.308,0:04:28.649 And, it doesn't take much longer to do[br]this than to make a simple headcount. 0:04:28.649,0:04:34.571 But, as you build up the record, a number[br]of patterns begin to appear. 0:04:34.571,0:04:39.835 The first thing that strikes you is the [br]extraordinary diversity of activity - 0:04:39.835,0:04:44.544 people reading, eating, talking, playing [br]games. 0:04:44.544,0:04:48.570 The sociability is really rather important[br]and we found that the proportion of 0:04:48.570,0:04:52.282 people in groups can tell you a number[br]of things. 0:04:52.282,0:04:56.463 The most used plazas tend to have a higher[br]proportion of people 0:04:56.463,0:05:00.365 in twos and threes than the less[br]successful ones. 0:05:00.365,0:05:04.985 But, the most sociable plazas also have,[br]in absolute numbers, 0:05:04.985,0:05:06.820 the greatest number of individuals. 0:05:07.273,0:05:11.560 A busy place, for some reason, seems to [br]be the most congenial kind of place 0:05:11.560,0:05:17.117 if you wanna be alone, or talk, as this[br]man is, to onseself. 0:05:18.197,0:05:23.752 The number one activity is people looking[br]at other people. 0:05:23.752,0:05:26.721 But, it is a point that is overlooked in[br]many, many designs. 0:05:27.841,0:05:32.522 Here are the girl watchers! Now, they are[br]a bit disdainful. 0:05:32.522,0:05:37.280 Sort of looking down their nose as though[br]the girls weren't quite worthy of their talents. 0:05:37.280,0:05:44.227 But it's all machismo. We have never, [br]ever seen a girl watcher make a pass at a girl. 0:05:44.227,0:05:47.344 We've seen very few others do that[br]for that matter. 0:05:47.344,0:05:50.277 For some reason, there isn't much mixing. 0:05:50.277,0:05:55.200 Those two blondes might as well be several[br]miles away for all the ostensible 0:05:55.200,0:05:58.117 attention that's going to be paid to them. 0:05:59.777,0:06:03.365 Note the two men circling in the [br]background. 0:06:03.365,0:06:07.824 This is a rather characteristic pattern; [br]we call it the 'traveling conversation', 0:06:07.824,0:06:14.873 and you will see them move in sort of an orbit, ever circling right out in front of the plaza. 0:06:16.469,0:06:20.265 Lovers. If you want to see the lovers,[br]people told us, look in the back. 0:06:20.265,0:06:22.846 We did. They weren't there. [br]They're out front. 0:06:22.846,0:06:27.041 Most of the lovers that we spotted at [br]Seagrams were usually to be found 0:06:27.041,0:06:32.897 in the middle of the pool ledge, one side[br]or the other - the most conspicuous of spots. 0:06:32.897,0:06:37.326 This fellow's gonna look at his watch to[br]see if he can spare a bit more time. 0:06:40.476,0:06:43.158 Another fine place is the corner. 0:06:43.158,0:06:46.817 There's usually an audience there and one[br]gets the feeling that the actors 0:06:46.817,0:06:48.833 don't mind this in the slightest. 0:06:57.143,0:07:01.720 Let's look now at some of the physical[br]features and how they affect use. 0:07:01.720,0:07:05.048 Notice the narrow strip between the pool[br]and the ledge. 0:07:05.048,0:07:07.832 The architects purposely made it narrow. 0:07:07.832,0:07:12.047 They didn't want people to be tempted to[br]use the ledge and perhaps fall off. 0:07:12.047,0:07:15.845 They didn't make it quite narrow enough; [br]one can negotiate it. 0:07:15.845,0:07:19.212 A little bit of trouble for older people, which it tends to filter out. 0:07:19.212,0:07:22.114 But, the younger people find it a [br]definite challenge. 0:07:22.114,0:07:24.801 The ledge has become one of the most[br]popular of spots 0:07:24.801,0:07:27.416 and attracts a rather raffish element. 0:07:32.606,0:07:35.894 At peak times, the front ledge is the one[br]most heavily used, 0:07:35.894,0:07:38.905 especially by younger people who tend[br]to the front. 0:07:39.555,0:07:43.459 These elegantly simple steps are a very[br]important feature. 0:07:43.459,0:07:47.966 They're low, and they're easy. They're[br]easy to go up and down. 0:07:47.966,0:07:53.389 They're also easy to sit on, and the corner[br]has a right angle that's fine for groups. 0:07:53.389,0:07:55.138 But, there's a problem. 0:07:55.138,0:07:59.448 The corners of the steps are precisely[br]where the main flow 0:07:59.448,0:08:02.735 of people to and from the buildings can [br]be found. 0:08:02.735,0:08:08.214 Yet, this is where people like to stand, and[br]to sit, and to block the traffic. 0:08:08.214,0:08:10.350 There are usually a few feet here and [br]there for passage. 0:08:10.350,0:08:15.255 Though, sometimes it does get a little difficult, you have to pick your way very carefully. 0:08:15.255,0:08:19.815 But, it's a friendly kind of congestion, [br]and later things do clear up a bit. 0:08:21.315,0:08:25.086 Now, we come to another junction: [br]the street corner. 0:08:25.086,0:08:29.323 It has a social life of its own and as we[br]saw a little bit earlier 0:08:29.323,0:08:33.067 with those two orbiting executives, it[br]connects with the life of the plaza. 0:08:34.025,0:08:36.884 The corner is a great place for impromptu [br]conferences. 0:08:36.884,0:08:40.574 Especially so at around two o'clock when the[br]lunch groups break up. 0:08:48.184,0:08:52.114 When people stop to talk, they don't move[br]off to one side. 0:08:52.115,0:08:55.196 They move smack into the middle of[br]the traffic stream. 0:08:55.196,0:08:59.175 This corner in front of the city court[br]building has a very high frequency 0:08:59.175,0:09:04.398 of such meetings, and the number one [br]spot for them is the geographic center. 0:09:04.398,0:09:07.794 Another favorite spot is the front of the[br]steps leading to the subway, 0:09:07.794,0:09:10.218 and even at rush hour. 0:09:10.218,0:09:14.993 A third is at the corner, directly athwart[br]the north-south pedestrian flow. 0:09:16.054,0:09:19.587 And, these heavy flows, of course, are a[br]reason why chance encounters are 0:09:19.587,0:09:21.347 such a high probability here. 0:09:21.347,0:09:25.965 Why there are so many 'hellos' and[br]'goodbyes', and particularly protracted goodbyes. 0:09:25.965,0:09:31.938 There's another kind of activity we call[br]'people just standing there alone'. 0:09:31.938,0:09:35.117 Life swirls about and they let it all[br]pass by. 0:09:35.117,0:09:36.599 They just stand there. 0:09:41.682,0:09:45.469 Back to Seagrams. When we plotted[br]the off-peak use, we found that 0:09:45.469,0:09:49.298 over the long haul, this rear space is [br]the most favored. 0:09:51.468,0:09:54.492 It's the best of both worlds: you can see[br]the show up front, 0:09:54.492,0:09:58.403 you're not cut out from it at all, but[br]under those trees you feel protected. 0:09:58.418,0:10:01.490 It's a little like being under the awning[br]of a cafe. 0:10:07.898,0:10:12.473 As we move from the rear, we see another[br]aspect of the place that's quite fascinating: 0:10:12.473,0:10:14.649 the movement of people across it. 0:10:14.649,0:10:18.830 Choreography is wonderful, and choreography[br]really is the right word. 0:10:18.839,0:10:23.180 The way people move, circle, stop, speed[br]up, colors they wear. 0:10:23.180,0:10:26.433 There's a beauty that they must often[br]sense themselves. 0:10:26.433,0:10:29.591 You see none of this in architectural [br]photographs - usually quite empty 0:10:29.591,0:10:34.273 of people - but visually, this movement[br]is the ultimate test of a design. 0:10:37.193,0:10:39.484 And, there's a lot of skill here. 0:10:41.765,0:10:45.345 We've tracked people in scores of crossing [br]patterns with a digital timer, 0:10:45.345,0:10:46.845 and never do they collide. 0:10:46.845,0:10:50.234 A tiny hand signal, a brief ritard, a [br]tenth of a second. 0:10:50.234,0:10:52.317 Timing is absolutely superlative. 0:10:52.978,0:10:56.732 Think of the computers, the radar it would[br]take to make their equivalent. 0:11:00.752,0:11:02.600 Now, what's not taking place? 0:11:02.604,0:11:06.484 People don't often stop to talk in the [br]middle of a large space. 0:11:11.086,0:11:14.864 They like to find places: steps, edges, [br]flag poles. 0:11:16.764,0:11:18.887 Here's a map of a week's activity. 0:11:18.898,0:11:23.092 The red squares are where people stop to[br]talk: fifty-one instances in all. 0:11:23.092,0:11:25.287 Only a few were in the center. 0:11:27.287,0:11:31.886 We come to the question: why do some[br]plazas work and others not? 0:11:31.891,0:11:35.763 We rank fifteen plazas by the average [br]number of people sitting, 0:11:35.763,0:11:41.501 running somewhere around 170 down to[br]about a handful - 20 or 30. 0:11:41.501,0:11:44.583 Now, most of these plazas are comparable[br]in size. 0:11:44.583,0:11:46.279 Why then the difference? 0:11:46.279,0:11:48.786 Was it the amount of open space? [br] 0:11:51.426,0:11:54.284 No, if anything there's a reverse[br]correlation. 0:11:55.400,0:11:57.000 What about sittable space? 0:11:59.740,0:12:05.006 Here we get a bit closer, and had we ranked[br]these in terms of quality of sitting, 0:12:05.006,0:12:06.801 we would have a much clearer relationship. 0:12:07.298,0:12:12.173 We checked many other things: elevation,[br]male/female ratio, space, and so on. 0:12:12.173,0:12:15.376 Charts in stupefying succession. 0:12:15.376,0:12:21.815 But, as we put them all together, one [br]major finding began to shine through. 0:12:21.815,0:12:24.044 And, I'll now share it with you. 0:12:28.404,0:12:31.491 This might not strike you as an intellectual[br]bombshell, 0:12:31.494,0:12:36.805 but, this simple lesson is one that very[br]few cities have ever heeded. 0:12:36.805,0:12:38.320 They're tough places to sit in. 0:12:41.490,0:12:45.938 And, what's most aggravating are the number[br]of plazas that would be excellent 0:12:45.938,0:12:48.304 for sitting if only they weren't so hard. 0:12:50.731,0:12:51.911 Or wet. 0:12:53.431,0:12:57.516 Or had fussy little railings placed to get[br]you right in the small of the back. 0:12:57.516,0:12:59.393 Here, another two inches and you'd be [br]comfortable. 0:12:59.393,0:13:04.620 Shrubbery and candid ledges - very useful [br]for keeping people off. 0:13:04.620,0:13:09.174 But, we found that people are very adaptable, [br]press down on your heel and you can do it. 0:13:09.974,0:13:12.342 Sometimes, you gotta play rough. 0:13:18.486,0:13:22.373 But, as we found out, people are very[br]adaptable. 0:13:24.169,0:13:27.113 Older people like to sit in the sun here,[br]can't have that. 0:13:27.113,0:13:31.667 Management put in these stones, and now[br]the older people don't sit here anymore. 0:13:34.877,0:13:40.816 This artifact is a designed object, the purpose of which is to punctuate architectural photographs. 0:13:43.881,0:13:48.125 It has some utility has a bench, but is[br]usually placed in isolation. 0:13:49.705,0:13:54.145 The dimensions are exquisitely wrong, and [br]not just for physical reasons, 0:13:54.145,0:13:55.788 important as they may be. 0:13:55.788,0:14:00.342 Small benches are socially awkward. If [br]there's a crowd, people will sit. 0:14:00.342,0:14:02.635 But, they're not very relaxed about it. 0:14:02.635,0:14:06.475 So, to the first reccomendation: make the [br]place sittable. 0:14:06.475,0:14:10.251 The minimum suggested requirement: one [br]linear foot of sitting space 0:14:10.251,0:14:12.938 for every 30 square feet of open space. 0:14:12.938,0:14:17.348 It's easy to meet. They did it at Seagrams[br]by leaving it sittable. 0:14:17.348,0:14:20.863 Inherently, most places are, or should be. 0:14:20.863,0:14:24.607 And, for a lesson in this, let's go to St.[br]Mark's Square in Venice. 0:14:30.497,0:14:33.445 The chairs of the cafes are what you first[br]notice. 0:14:40.335,0:14:43.354 But, look closer and you'll see that [br]there is a great deal of sitting 0:14:43.354,0:14:48.292 space built into the plaza - ledges and[br]steps - and not inadvertently either. 0:14:48.292,0:14:53.401 Those early urban designers were way ahead[br]of us in providing the simple amenities. 0:14:53.401,0:14:58.393 Where the nobles once hatched their intrigue[br]by the imbroglio, as they call it. 0:14:58.393,0:15:02.331 There are tourists, but the sitting [br]patterns are much the same. 0:15:03.591,0:15:06.978 Make the most of ledges, especially[br]the front row! 0:15:11.370,0:15:13.556 And make them, two back sides deep. 0:15:13.556,0:15:17.577 The point is not to double the number of [br]sitters, but to give them more choice,[br] 0:15:17.577,0:15:21.961 and this is very important for their [br]perception of crowding or not crowding. 0:15:22.534,0:15:27.184 Here's an excellent example: note how[br]each surface can do double duty. 0:15:27.184,0:15:30.779 Together they provide almost an infinity[br]sitting combinations. 0:15:36.117,0:15:39.887 Step ledges are good and they offer lots [br]of choice. 0:15:39.892,0:15:42.472 They go very well with grass. Grass that[br]you can sit on. 0:15:46.876,0:15:50.737 Planters make good sitting if they're not[br]too high, too many are. 0:15:52.377,0:15:54.702 They should be low and they should[br]be hospitable. 0:15:57.058,0:16:00.516 Here's a ledge with swings and is equally[br]popular front or back. 0:16:03.183,0:16:05.103 A sitting table which revolves. 0:16:07.821,0:16:13.421 The most prolifically sittable place is 77 Water St, [br]sometimes known as Swinger's Plaza. 0:16:13.421,0:16:16.738 It has chairs, tables, benches, sitting [br]sculpture - 0:16:16.738,0:16:21.079 but it's the maze of ledges that make this[br]place work so very well. 0:16:22.677,0:16:24.468 And here are some of the swingers. 0:16:27.422,0:16:30.398 Question: how many people is too many? 0:16:30.520,0:16:33.123 The planning comission was concerned about[br]this. 0:16:33.123,0:16:38.989 Plazas were made more inviting might not [br]they attract so many people as to be found. 0:16:38.989,0:16:41.804 How can carrying capacity be determined? 0:16:41.804,0:16:45.618 To get at these questions we studied ten [br]very intensively used places. 0:16:45.618,0:16:48.032 One of them, this ledge at Seagram. 0:16:48.032,0:16:52.802 First, we studied spacing. Here, a little [br]before noon, is the beginning of a crowd. 0:16:53.540,0:16:56.068 The men, you'll note are sitting quite [br]close together, 0:16:56.068,0:16:57.785 even though there's a lot of extra[br]space. 0:17:00.663,0:17:04.310 As we saw earlier, the step corner is a [br]very high-traffic area, 0:17:04.310,0:17:07.211 and here is where the build up will be [br]concentrated. 0:17:07.211,0:17:10.859 As the place fills, the dense areas will [br]get denser, 0:17:10.859,0:17:13.863 very much as they do at beaches. 0:17:13.863,0:17:16.992 We're going to see a timelapse record of[br]lunchtime at the ledge 0:17:16.992,0:17:19.776 from noon until a little bit before two. 0:17:23.092,0:17:29.332 Notice the very heavy turnover, but notice[br]also that a remarkable thing is taking place. 0:17:29.332,0:17:33.844 Despite the heavy turnover, the number[br]of people is remaining quite constant. 0:17:38.114,0:17:43.185 Here's a chart on sort of a piano player[br]roll of where and how long each person sat. 0:17:43.632,0:17:46.138 It starts at 9 AM with two people. 0:17:50.978,0:17:53.517 From 12 to 2, we get the heavy use. 0:17:53.517,0:18:00.250 Note that in the running total at the bottom,[br]the number of people stays between 19 and 21. 0:18:00.250,0:18:02.014 Good spacing you might say! 0:18:02.267,0:18:04.528 No, that doesn't really explain it. 0:18:04.534,0:18:07.617 The spacing is erratic, and even at the peak[br]moments, 0:18:07.617,0:18:11.008 there's plenty of room for extra people, [br]even groups of people. 0:18:11.008,0:18:12.171 But they don't come. 0:18:13.235,0:18:17.885 I think that what we are seeing is the[br]result of an instinctive feel that 0:18:17.885,0:18:22.088 people have for the number that's right for[br]a place, the number that's right overall. 0:18:22.088,0:18:24.360 That is it's effective capacity. 0:18:25.176,0:18:28.685 To put it another way: capacity is [br]self-leveling. 0:18:29.653,0:18:33.440 Many people will tell you that the two [br]pleasantest, quietist, 0:18:33.440,0:18:38.015 least crowded places in New York are [br]Paley Park and Greenacre Park. 0:18:38.015,0:18:39.775 They certainly are among the smallest. 0:18:39.775,0:18:44.226 Paley is 42 x 100 ft. [br]Greenacre 65 x 100. 0:18:51.686,0:18:54.892 At peak times, the density of leading [br]plazas runs up to 0:18:54.971,0:18:58.222 about 11 people per thousand square feet. 0:18:58.222,0:19:01.550 Paley and Greenacre go almost off the [br]chart. 0:19:01.550,0:19:05.539 They are the most crowded by far, and [br]often quite noisy. 0:19:06.379,0:19:08.440 In the mind's eye, they are not. 0:19:08.480,0:19:13.646 One's perception is of quiet, of peace, [br]of choice. 0:19:14.356,0:19:18.976 One of the things that we did to try and [br]find out how come this rather interesting 0:19:19.106,0:19:25.954 difference between perception and fact, was[br]the daily build up of table use. 0:19:26.047,0:19:30.647 Here in this animated chart, you will see[br]black dots are for men, the red for women. 0:19:32.885,0:19:38.268 Notice, by the way, the tendency of men[br]to take the front row, and the women, the rear. 0:19:41.046,0:19:45.622 Now, as the day goes on, the patterns remain[br]quite consistant. 0:19:45.622,0:19:47.872 And, so they do day after day. 0:19:50.035,0:19:54.184 But, this Olympian perspective, can be[br]rather misleading. 0:19:54.184,0:19:57.256 What we see looking down, is regularity. 0:19:58.716,0:20:01.427 Now, this is the truth, but it's only a[br]partial. 0:20:02.302,0:20:05.758 Get down to eye level, the way people[br]see the place, 0:20:05.758,0:20:11.539 and you don't see regularity. [br]Instead, sort of an amiable miscellany. 0:20:11.637,0:20:14.043 People are placed this way and that. 0:20:16.813,0:20:19.227 Some people are declarably alone. 0:20:19.227,0:20:21.603 Others grouped around tables. 0:20:21.973,0:20:24.243 Choices are always opening up. 0:20:24.733,0:20:27.208 Now, this is extremely high density[br]right here. 0:20:27.208,0:20:32.488 People are very close to each other, and[br]yet the social distances are quite confident. 0:20:32.488,0:20:36.914 In this particular case, the social distance[br]might be a little too close. 0:20:45.807,0:20:49.380 We come to that wonderful invention: [br]the movable chair. 0:20:49.380,0:20:52.655 It's one of the reasons you have such a [br]feeling of choice in places like 0:20:52.655,0:20:55.929 Paley or Greenacre, you are doing[br]the deciding. 0:20:56.972,0:21:00.225 It's very interesting to watch how people[br]manipulate chairs. 0:21:00.225,0:21:03.574 Here you can sort of tell there's [br]going to be a rather aggresive movement. 0:21:06.674,0:21:11.632 Now, whatever the purpose of all this rearranging,[br]it does make for a rather pleasant social ritual, 0:21:11.667,0:21:15.219 and you will see many variants of [br]this often quite plainly. 0:21:15.219,0:21:20.136 Even when there's no apparent functional [br]reason of any kind, people move chairs. 0:21:20.722,0:21:21.810 Watch this girl. 0:21:25.317,0:21:27.876 Now, she's no more in the sun[br]than she was before. 0:21:30.376,0:21:31.787 Watch this fellow. 0:21:33.463,0:21:34.988 Very unusual behavior. 0:21:35.786,0:21:40.799 This man is starting something. Soon we're[br]gonna have a game of musical chairs. 0:21:40.799,0:21:45.119 Just why these men all started to move [br]one can never know, but they did. 0:22:02.239,0:22:06.291 Interesting thing, though, is that about[br]four minutes after the beginning of this, 0:22:06.291,0:22:09.020 all the chairs were back where they stated[br]from. 0:22:10.150,0:22:13.681 Fixed, individual seats don't work very [br]well. 0:22:13.681,0:22:17.347 For lovers, loveseats are alright. The [br]distances are quite comfrotable. 0:22:17.347,0:22:18.962 But, not for most people. 0:22:18.962,0:22:23.904 Furthermore, chairs like this are telling[br]you, "You sit here and you sit there." 0:22:25.050,0:22:29.188 The most important thing about a space is its[br]relationship to the street. 0:22:29.225,0:22:30.782 Paley is a fine example. 0:22:31.431,0:22:36.369 People do speak of it as a refuge, as a[br]place to escape from the city. 0:22:36.369,0:22:41.297 This is very wrong. Paley is an intensely[br]urban place. 0:22:41.297,0:22:46.662 One of its great assets is the vigorous street [br]life out in front of it and for that matter within it. 0:22:46.662,0:22:51.526 As many people will be entering and leaving and[br]touring on the inside of Paley, 0:22:51.526,0:22:54.296 as you'll find on many busy sidewalks. 0:22:54.303,0:22:57.203 Passersby are important, too. 0:22:57.203,0:23:00.883 About half will turn in and look, and[br]about a half of them will smile. 0:23:00.889,0:23:04.561 I haven't calculated the smile index, that[br]would be much too solemn. 0:23:04.566,0:23:11.297 But, this visual enjoyment, this secondary[br]use is every bit as important as the primary use. 0:23:11.297,0:23:16.160 Paley is a sight, a place to show people,[br]to point to with pride, to discuss. 0:23:23.510,0:23:26.510 Children seem particularly entranced with [br]Paley. 0:23:34.900,0:23:40.122 We've noticed quite intendency for them to[br]run in and accelerate as they come to the steps. 0:23:40.742,0:23:45.725 Passersby will often do a double take, and[br]then walk on in. 0:23:45.725,0:23:49.687 They are just a few easy steps, you don't[br]have to make a decision. 0:23:49.687,0:23:51.429 You're almost drawn in. 0:23:59.021,0:24:02.434 And, here with older people you'll sometimes[br]see, as with children, 0:24:02.434,0:24:05.431 a slight acceleration as they go up the[br]steps. 0:24:13.257,0:24:16.201 The vestibule is a social place in its own[br]right. 0:24:16.201,0:24:20.307 Now, those girl-watchers swelling here [br]actually spoke to these girls. 0:24:21.937,0:24:23.985 You'll see mothers with their children. 0:24:29.467,0:24:36.080 People just standing there, waiting. It's[br]a popular place to meet people. 0:24:36.080,0:24:40.312 You'll see people meeting for again one[br]hundred percent conversation. 0:24:43.540,0:24:47.315 Here's an example of what we call[br]'reciprocal gestures'. 0:24:47.315,0:24:50.963 When two men are getting together in their [br]conversation, 0:24:50.963,0:24:53.246 there seems to be a tendency for one person[br]to make the move, 0:24:53.246,0:24:58.163 and then after, say six, seven, eight-second[br]pause for the other to reciprocate. 0:25:03.983,0:25:04.793 Ah, he did it! 0:25:05.664,0:25:09.621 Itinerant musicians have a very keen sense[br]of place. 0:25:09.621,0:25:14.890 Here this cello player is setting up at [br]one of the best of them. 0:25:22.663,0:25:25.660 We've been looking at places that work with[br]the street. 0:25:25.660,0:25:31.526 Now, let's look at a directly contrary[br]approach: the self-contained megastructure. 0:25:31.526,0:25:34.234 These are a sort of urban fortress. 0:25:34.234,0:25:38.742 Their common denominator is that they take[br]you away from the street. 0:25:38.744,0:25:41.688 Here, at Houston Center, you're going[br]up, up, up. 0:25:41.688,0:25:45.773 Plazas and the terraces are two or three [br]levels above the street. 0:25:48.123,0:25:51.216 From the street you are completely [br]insulated. 0:25:51.216,0:25:54.925 You can drive from the suburbs in the[br]morning into that garage there, 0:25:54.925,0:25:59.276 walk through the skyways to the office,[br]and spend the whole day without 0:25:59.276,0:26:02.380 ever having to set foot in Houston at all. 0:26:03.036,0:26:06.230 This is it's streetscape; no stores, no[br]windows. 0:26:06.230,0:26:08.660 Not many pedestrians either, for that matter. 0:26:08.664,0:26:14.818 Street level is for cars. The one activity [br]is a bank window for people in cars. 0:26:16.447,0:26:21.204 Here's Renaissance Center in Detroit.[br]Very striking, many attractions within. 0:26:21.204,0:26:24.137 But, what does it say at street level? 0:26:24.137,0:26:28.307 Look at that huge berm across its entry, all[br]it's lacking is a portcullis. 0:26:28.307,0:26:31.305 Come in and be safe from Detroit,[br]it says. 0:26:32.785,0:26:38.559 Downtown Los Angeles: Broadway Plaza.[br]Successful in size. 0:26:38.559,0:26:42.470 A few blocks away, Atlantic Richfield plaza,[br]very handsome. 0:26:42.864,0:26:44.730 But, what's happened to the street? 0:26:44.730,0:26:47.514 Where are the stores? Where are the [br]windows? 0:26:48.454,0:26:50.224 Where are the people? 0:26:50.305,0:26:57.230 Going down to subterranean levels of[br]shopping in balmy Los Angeles. 0:26:58.140,0:27:00.811 In the next block, the Hotel Bonaventure. 0:27:02.522,0:27:07.610 Dramatically scaled to the freeway, but [br]not to the pedestrian. 0:27:10.220,0:27:12.990 Look at the wall that it turns to the city.[br] 0:27:13.033,0:27:18.272 You ever seen a more brutal rejection[br]of the street, or a more unnecessary one? 0:27:19.669,0:27:25.034 Ironically, twenty miles away at Disneyland,[br]people pay good money 0:27:25.034,0:27:29.750 to enjoy a replica of a regular, [br]old-fashioned street. 0:27:29.750,0:27:33.898 Shops and windows and doors at [br]street level. 0:27:39.867,0:27:42.736 Lots to appoint about plazas. 0:27:42.743,0:27:47.991 Unless there is a compelling reason, don't [br]sink them way down or put them way up. 0:27:47.991,0:27:50.710 They get lost, like this elevated plaza[br]in Seattle. 0:27:53.070,0:27:57.427 Most sunken plazas are empty--near empty[br]most of the time. 0:27:58.572,0:28:01.292 The action is up top on the street. 0:28:07.540,0:28:10.921 But, what about Rockefeller Plaza? It's[br]sunken and it's very popular. 0:28:10.921,0:28:16.104 So it is, but look at carefully and you'll[br]see that most of the people are up top. 0:28:16.104,0:28:21.331 Looking down, it's an amphitheatre and the [br]people down below are the show. 0:28:26.448,0:28:28.965 Here's another exception that proves [br]the rule: 0:28:28.965,0:28:32.069 This is the plaza of the First National[br]Bank of Chicago. 0:28:32.069,0:28:35.226 Sunken, no mistake about that, but[br]very popular. 0:28:35.226,0:28:39.599 On a nice day, you'll find well over a [br]thousand people enjoying themselves here. 0:28:40.069,0:28:42.405 Well, it does all of the basics quite [br]well. 0:28:42.419,0:28:47.699 Lots and lots of sitting space, and[br]it too, functions as as an amphitheatre. 0:28:47.699,0:28:54.013 As the place fills up, the steps will become[br]a mezzanine and it will be a show down below. 0:28:58.733,0:29:02.276 To understand, let's go back to the corner[br]and follow the passersby. 0:29:02.665,0:29:06.356 As they come abreast, you'll see, as we[br]saw at Paley, 0:29:06.356,0:29:11.134 lots of visual secondary use, some people[br]pausing to look in and then going on. 0:29:11.134,0:29:17.054 Well, there's pausing, sort of drifting down [br]to plaza, and the whole usage begins to build. 0:29:17.807,0:29:23.705 Layer by layer, people looking at [br]people looking at other people. 0:29:26.774,0:29:30.049 We come to a key person: the undesirable. 0:29:30.049,0:29:32.971 It is for fear of him, that spikes are put[br]on ledges 0:29:32.971,0:29:35.648 and benches made too short to sleep on. 0:29:39.308,0:29:43.789 In actual fact, these people are harmless[br]and sometimes very well-behaved. 0:29:48.818,0:29:52.743 Most often, they are to be found in the [br]places where other people are not. 0:29:57.353,0:30:00.409 Then, there are the people who do odd[br]things, like Drumsticks, 0:30:00.422,0:30:04.855 who happens to be a compulsive[br]cleaner-upper of litter. 0:30:04.855,0:30:08.390 In many ways, the odd people do a service[br]for the rest of us. 0:30:08.390,0:30:11.299 They reassure us of our own normality. 0:30:11.299,0:30:15.091 In well used public places, people are [br]tolerant of the odd ones. 0:30:15.091,0:30:18.002 Life goes on with little fuss or trouble. 0:30:20.579,0:30:22.851 This is Pershing Square in Los Angeles. 0:30:22.851,0:30:28.414 In the morning, you'll see many older men, [br]and some who move to a beat of their own. 0:30:28.414,0:30:30.626 But, they don't hurt anybody, [br]it's not unsafe. 0:30:30.646,0:30:34.827 And, later in the middle of the day, office[br]workers will come out with their brown bags, 0:30:34.827,0:30:37.003 and there will be a nice coexistance. 0:30:39.560,0:30:43.688 Here is a pigeon lady. [br]Every square should have one. 0:30:44.614,0:30:46.470 Here's a place that is dangerous: 0:30:48.120,0:30:50.164 Bryant Park in the middle of New York. 0:30:52.417,0:30:56.833 It's green and spacious, and the cops [br]patrol it in pairs as well they should. 0:30:56.833,0:31:00.779 Real undesirables--muggers, dope dealers--[br]have made it their territory. 0:31:01.163,0:31:06.069 They've been able to because it had been[br]cut off from the street by fences and walls. 0:31:06.069,0:31:11.199 Very pleasant these tree-shaded paths, but [br]you can get a feeling of entrapment in them. 0:31:11.199,0:31:15.242 Even a shuffling derelict poses a threat[br]that he wouldn't elsewhere. 0:31:15.962,0:31:19.354 To make a place like this work, you [br]must unfence it. 0:31:23.277,0:31:26.711 For guarding plazas, television cameras are[br]often favored. 0:31:26.711,0:31:29.843 Their usefulness seems to be largely[br]symbolic. 0:31:29.843,0:31:31.582 They reassure management. 0:31:31.582,0:31:35.793 But, they don't see very much. [br]Nothing beats a human being. 0:31:36.614,0:31:40.817 Safe and successful places ususually[br]have a kind of mayor. 0:31:42.167,0:31:44.621 Here's one of the best: Joe Hardy of Exxon. 0:31:45.126,0:31:49.758 He's good at spotting potential trouble,[br]but what he likes best is helping people. 0:31:49.758,0:31:52.826 Two girls for example, who would like to have[br]their picture taken. 0:31:54.206,0:31:57.228 And that's one reason why there isn't[br]much trouble. 0:32:05.793,0:32:10.561 People do like the sun. They so visibly [br]like it, men, as well as women. 0:32:10.561,0:32:16.295 But, we were pretty sure that sunlight would[br]be the major factor in plaza use, 0:32:16.295,0:32:19.637 and that a southern exposure would be almost[br]a necessity. 0:32:20.967,0:32:23.226 And, for awhile it looked as if we were[br]right. 0:32:23.957,0:32:29.847 Our early timelapse, you'll recall, showed[br]a very strong correlation between sitters and sun. 0:32:29.847,0:32:36.021 That was in May. As time went on--[br]June, July, August--the correlation vanished. 0:32:36.021,0:32:39.206 People sat anywhere--sun or shade. 0:32:39.787,0:32:43.754 Paley gave us another lesson. It lost part[br]of its sun to a new office building. 0:32:43.754,0:32:46.549 People came just as many as before. 0:32:46.549,0:32:49.354 Sun was clearly not the ruling factor. 0:32:50.529,0:32:54.828 Sun is most important in nippy weather, [br]when the rays make the difference 0:32:54.828,0:32:57.825 between sitting comfortably, or not[br]sitting. 0:32:58.725,0:33:03.803 At Greenacre Park, the upper terrace is[br]warmed by infrared heaters. 0:33:03.803,0:33:06.692 Less costly is protection from the wind.[br] 0:33:06.692,0:33:10.895 Where it's provided you can have a sort[br]of nice sun theater. 0:33:10.895,0:33:16.679 What hurts most is not so much the absence [br]of sun, but of light. 0:33:16.679,0:33:20.573 If we can't get the sun directly, perhaps[br]we can borrow it. 0:33:23.943,0:33:27.506 Same new buildings that are cutting off[br]the sun from some places, 0:33:27.511,0:33:29.602 are reflecting it into others. 0:33:29.602,0:33:32.620 As a matter of fact, some of the city's[br]pleasantest lighting effects 0:33:32.620,0:33:35.948 are from this kind of bounce light, [br]particularly in the late afternoon. 0:33:36.620,0:33:39.777 The new city court building reflects the [br]sun with such a wallop, 0:33:39.777,0:33:44.811 that in one receiving block, trees are [br]growing much faster than they did before. 0:33:45.924,0:33:52.483 This black, brick building bounces a [br]surprising amount of light, and guess where to: 0:33:52.483,0:33:53.560 Paley Park. 0:33:53.583,0:33:55.567 It's a very soft pleasant light. 0:34:01.441,0:34:04.459 Here's a plaza with a northern exposure[br]that gets lots of light 0:34:04.459,0:34:06.902 thanks to the building across the way. 0:34:07.482,0:34:12.905 The best light at Seagrams is by reflection,[br]some of it on the second, third, or fourth bounce. 0:34:13.455,0:34:16.250 All these effects are quite unplanned,[br]of course, 0:34:16.250,0:34:20.217 but they do suggest there are really some[br]fascinating potentials for urban design. 0:34:30.101,0:34:33.301 Water is a wonderful amenity in the city, [br]and it's an element 0:34:33.301,0:34:36.597 that designers and developers are really doing[br]quite well with. 0:34:36.597,0:34:41.684 We're getting water walls, waterfalls, [br]fountains, lots of spray. 0:34:41.684,0:34:44.280 Here's a brook running through a lobby. 0:34:44.280,0:34:47.800 One of the nicest things about these water[br]works is the sound of them. 0:34:52.253,0:34:53.907 Sometimes it's very loud. 0:34:54.777,0:34:57.955 This water wall at Paley is about [br]75 decibels. 0:34:57.955,0:35:03.939 But, it's white sound; very raspy, and masks[br]traffic noise from other people's conversations. 0:35:04.875,0:35:08.235 Another thing about water is the look and[br]feel of it. 0:35:08.235,0:35:12.096 I always felt that the water at Seagrams[br]is particularly liquid, 0:35:12.096,0:35:14.624 and I suppose the reason is that it's so [br]very accessible. 0:35:14.624,0:35:20.149 You can stick your hand in it, splash about[br]and nobody will rush up to stop you. 0:35:20.149,0:35:23.540 You just know that girl has got to put her[br]foot in the water. 0:35:28.669,0:35:32.711 Some cities put water before people and[br]then tell them not to use them. 0:35:32.711,0:35:33.852 This isn't right. 0:35:34.778,0:35:38.670 And, it isn't right to take a grand,[br]old fountain like Chicago's Buckingham, 0:35:38.670,0:35:40.378 and put an electric fence around it. 0:35:41.154,0:35:45.079 This girl is living dangerously perhaps, but[br]water ought to be used. 0:35:46.079,0:35:48.972 This fellow wants to cool his feet, and[br]why not? 0:35:54.974,0:35:56.019 Forbidden. 0:36:00.161,0:36:03.915 On this Denver bank plaza, there's water[br]that's good to look at, 0:36:03.915,0:36:09.696 and there's also water in which people can[br]wade and splash about and no one will fret over it. 0:36:09.696,0:36:10.933 Praise to the bank. 0:36:13.384,0:36:16.616 This splendid fountain in Portland dares [br]people. 0:36:16.616,0:36:20.839 If this were taken in summer, you'd see [br]teenagers clamoring all over it. 0:36:20.839,0:36:25.756 It's obviously dangerous. Lawrence Halprin[br]designed it to be obviously dangerous, 0:36:25.756,0:36:27.548 and there's been scarcely an accident. 0:36:33.049,0:36:34.841 Here's some vicarious water. 0:36:34.841,0:36:39.801 This tunnel at McGraw Hills Small Park[br]splashes you if you don't get wet. 0:36:39.801,0:36:42.521 It's fun, and has become quite the [br]tourist attraction. 0:36:45.868,0:36:50.347 Another thing we're at last doing is [br]opening up access to our waterfront. 0:36:50.347,0:36:55.339 This is Jeanette Park on the East River, [br]the park of an office building complex. 0:36:59.210,0:37:05.140 This is the South Street Seaport, an [br]excellent example in how simple elements 0:37:05.140,0:37:07.420 make a great urban space. 0:37:07.420,0:37:14.110 It has all the elements: nice space, places[br]to sit, nice view, and plenty of people. 0:37:18.057,0:37:22.602 Louisville has come back to the Ohio River,[br]with this rather elegant Belvedere. 0:37:29.242,0:37:31.653 The prize goes to San Antonio. 0:37:31.658,0:37:34.186 It took what was little more than a [br]drainage ditch, 0:37:34.186,0:37:37.951 and turned it into a river that[br]goes right through the heart of the city. 0:37:40.873,0:37:43.976 It's lined with a walkway, cafes, and[br]sitting spaces; [br] 0:37:43.976,0:37:46.941 and is a perfectly wonderful example of [br]good enclosure. 0:37:46.941,0:37:48.317 You feel very comfortable here. 0:37:56.698,0:38:00.762 Trees are so beneficent for a city, it's[br]a wonder we haven't planted more. 0:38:00.762,0:38:03.897 And, we have certainly have plenty of good[br]practical reasons to do so-- 0:38:03.897,0:38:07.940 microclimate, shade, transpiration, [br]cooling, beauty, so forth. [br] 0:38:07.940,0:38:12.740 But now, we have a new reason. What with[br]all the travertine architects are lying about, 0:38:12.740,0:38:15.107 the glare index of cities is soaring. 0:38:15.107,0:38:18.734 We should make the most this and press[br]for many more trees. 0:38:18.734,0:38:24.675 New York's new zoning now requires builders[br]to plant far more in the way of street trees, 0:38:24.675,0:38:26.765 and more trees within the plaza itself. 0:38:27.444,0:38:31.961 Where possible, they ought to be planted[br]in groves--quite close together. 0:38:31.961,0:38:33.961 This produces a fine canopy. 0:38:35.301,0:38:39.706 As we noted at Seagram, the places that [br]people liked best 0:38:39.706,0:38:43.969 are those which are opened to the action but[br]are slightly recessed, slightly protected. 0:38:43.971,0:38:49.155 You get a cavy feeling. Just a few honey[br]locusts overhead will do it. 0:38:54.443,0:38:58.016 If you want to see the place with activity,[br]put in food. 0:38:58.016,0:39:01.621 At almost every lively plaza, you'll[br]find a pushcart vendor. 0:39:05.487,0:39:08.937 This man has been at Seagrams for years[br]at 52nd and Park. 0:39:08.939,0:39:12.558 Even in wintertime, when he moves over[br]the steam manhole. 0:39:13.275,0:39:17.686 Merchants don't like vendors and they're always[br]trying to get the police to shoo them away. 0:39:17.687,0:39:20.989 Some cities don't allow outdoor eating [br]at all. 0:39:20.989,0:39:24.248 But, the vendors are providing service that[br]people want; 0:39:24.248,0:39:27.109 and they sometimes perform a social [br]function, too. 0:39:27.113,0:39:31.809 Often they're the mayors, the rendezvous [br]points, the gossip station, 0:39:31.809,0:39:36.726 and here at Charles Center in Baltimore, a[br]word with them is part of the day. 0:39:42.146,0:39:44.603 Here's a little study in food dynamics. 0:39:44.603,0:39:48.588 At the Exxon Mini Park, the management [br]experimented with a food cart. 0:39:48.588,0:39:52.470 It attracted people. Here's one of the first[br]impulse buy. 0:40:01.690,0:40:06.529 The activity, in turn, attracted other[br]vendors. More people came to the park. 0:40:06.567,0:40:10.556 Encouraged, the management next put in an[br]outdoor cafe. 0:40:10.556,0:40:13.458 The optimal leverage in these things is [br]really quite amazing. 0:40:13.458,0:40:17.713 All they take is a few simple props:[br]some tables, some chairs. 0:40:17.713,0:40:23.270 Put up the umbrellas, bring on the [br]people, and the effect is really quite striking. 0:40:23.270,0:40:27.526 It's a shill effect. The people who eat[br]usually attract far more people. 0:40:33.958,0:40:36.507 Built-in snack bars are a great draw. 0:40:36.507,0:40:40.571 At Paley and Greenacre parks, they provide[br]good food (good coffee, too). 0:40:40.571,0:40:44.643 They do it at reasonable prices and they[br]make a modest profit doing it. 0:40:44.643,0:40:47.493 New York zoning now favors such facilities. 0:40:47.493,0:40:51.633 Food kiosks, fastfood counters used to be[br]classified as obstructions. 0:40:51.633,0:40:56.366 Now, they're an amenity. Outdoor cafes are[br]specifically encouraged, 0:40:56.366,0:41:01.827 and developers are allowed to use up to 20%[br]of the open space of the plaza for these cafes. 0:41:02.710,0:41:06.913 The first cafe after the zoning pass was put[br]up by the city itself. 0:41:06.913,0:41:12.459 This windy space next to the municipal[br]building was made into a kind of street festival. 0:41:25.415,0:41:27.785 First concessionaires were from Little Italy.[br] 0:41:27.785,0:41:31.015 Later it was Chinese food and soul food. 0:41:32.683,0:41:36.789 But, the best thing about the cafe has [br]been a shrewd use of space. 0:41:36.789,0:41:42.111 The person who organized the cafe, then[br]deputy borough president Jolie Hammer, 0:41:42.111,0:41:46.335 laid out the tables and chairs with a tyrant's[br]eye of a good hostess. 0:41:46.335,0:41:49.236 She didn't spread them out. She [br]compressed them. 0:41:49.236,0:41:51.604 And the walkway was compressed also. 0:41:51.604,0:41:56.809 So, when waiting in line or threading your way[br]to a table, you almost have to meet someone. 0:41:56.809,0:42:01.427 I've never seen so many people saying[br]hello and goodbye and being introduced. 0:42:01.427,0:42:04.958 It's the first time there's been a meeting [br]ground for people from all of the departments. 0:42:04.958,0:42:08.968 And, it's splendid for politic, and it's[br]splendid for younger people, too. 0:42:08.968,0:42:12.968 I wonder how many marriages can be traced[br]back to this cafe. 0:42:15.771,0:42:19.491 Another lesson that was learned was the [br]utility of the simple wastebasket, 0:42:19.491,0:42:21.528 or rather, lots and lots of them. 0:42:21.528,0:42:26.292 When there aren't enough, people are really[br]quite conscientious in using them. 0:42:26.292,0:42:31.008 It was also found important to make [br]concessionaires keep up the cleaning job. 0:42:31.010,0:42:34.870 Now, most of them used children to do this, [br]but they did a rather effective job. 0:42:41.588,0:42:44.419 We've gone over the basic factors. 0:42:44.419,0:42:49.619 But there's one more, and for lack of a [br]better term, I call it 'triangulation'. 0:42:49.619,0:42:55.199 By this I mean that characteristic of a public[br]space that can bring people together. 0:42:55.825,0:42:58.554 It's usually an external stimulus of some kind. 0:42:58.554,0:43:01.637 It could be a physical feature or a happening.[br]Here's a good example: 0:43:02.437,0:43:06.097 These people are having a great time. [br]Something is going on. 0:43:06.097,0:43:09.357 Strangers are beginning to talk to each[br]other about it. 0:43:11.174,0:43:14.432 Two bank robbers have been caught and [br]the police are searching them. 0:43:17.312,0:43:19.714 Now, this is a little extreme example. [br]Here's a more typical one. 0:43:20.721,0:43:24.987 This mime has attracted a good crowd, and[br]so far no cop. 0:43:28.417,0:43:33.035 He makes fun of people. Here he goes up[br]to some junior executives and draws a square. 0:43:36.210,0:43:37.511 Everybody laughs. 0:43:37.978,0:43:39.642 Ah, here comes the cop. 0:43:48.002,0:43:51.166 It's a nice moment. A city kind of moment. 0:43:55.147,0:43:58.795 It doesn't make too much difference if the[br]act is skillful or corny. 0:44:00.964,0:44:04.516 It will draw a crowd in less than [br]a minute, usually. 0:44:04.516,0:44:07.044 Strangers will act as though they were[br]not. 0:44:07.044,0:44:11.758 What the performer does best is to provide[br]a connection between them. 0:44:18.198,0:44:19.894 What are they looking at? 0:44:19.906,0:44:23.692 This, again, is at Seagrams. This time[br]it's the sculpture. 0:44:23.692,0:44:27.246 "What in the world will they think of[br]next!" some people will say. 0:44:27.246,0:44:31.536 Sculpture by Mark di Suvero, [br]and people certainly react to it. 0:44:31.545,0:44:37.096 They argued about it, they went up to touch it. [br]Strangers started talking about it. 0:44:38.768,0:44:42.864 This is Debuffet's Four Trees on the Chase[br]Manhattan Plaza. 0:44:42.864,0:44:45.007 This sculpture draws people to it! 0:44:45.007,0:44:48.058 They like to walk underneath it, to touch it,[br]to look up at it. 0:44:48.058,0:44:52.148 They like to stand around it. It does a lot[br]for the rest of the plaza. 0:44:52.148,0:44:55.444 The scale is just right for this rather [br]large space. 0:44:55.444,0:44:58.266 It is a very sociable element. 0:45:01.200,0:45:05.573 Here's a very similar combination on the[br]Federal Plaza in Chicago. 0:45:06.613,0:45:11.424 Here is a morality tale. This is Louise[br]Nevelson's Night Presences. 0:45:11.430,0:45:16.336 When she gave it to the city, it was placed[br]in front of the walkway to the Central Park Zoo. 0:45:16.336,0:45:20.933 People sat on it, they ate lunch on it,[br]they looked at it and argued about it. 0:45:20.933,0:45:25.082 They touched it almost surreptitiously to[br]see what it was made of--corten steel. 0:45:31.412,0:45:35.696 It didn't block the pedestrian flow. [br]In a sort of venturi effect, 0:45:35.696,0:45:40.006 it seemed to stimulate the flow,[br]to attract people to it, around it. 0:45:50.749,0:45:55.086 No longer. The statue was moved to [br]Upper Park Ave. 0:45:55.086,0:45:58.322 Nobody sits on it anymore.[br]Or touches it. 0:46:00.775,0:46:04.679 Usefullness is not the only measure of [br]sculpture and street furniture, 0:46:04.679,0:46:06.204 but it certainly doesn't hurt. 0:46:06.204,0:46:12.849 As this woman is demonstrating, what better[br]use for a glass curtain wall, and why not shelves. 0:46:12.849,0:46:15.014 Here's a wall that's a digital clock. 0:46:15.014,0:46:18.022 I've never been able to read the time here, [br]but it's a lot of fun to look at. 0:46:22.411,0:46:24.330 See if you can figure this one out. 0:46:25.139,0:46:31.827 The real sun will show you the clue. [br]It's a painting by Richard Oz. 0:46:37.067,0:46:39.178 Here's a nice one up in Boston. 0:46:41.770,0:46:47.641 Here's an inspired example of triangulation: [br]St. Peter's, a church with a window to the street. 0:46:47.641,0:46:51.465 Passerbys are drawn to it. They talk to[br]each other about what they see. 0:46:56.389,0:46:58.916 - Isn't that gorgeous? [br]- That's beautiful! 0:46:58.916,0:47:00.890 [woman] Why do the seats face different[br]ways? 0:47:00.890,0:47:04.473 [woman] Isn't that something?[br]Look at the organ! 0:47:07.830,0:47:11.198 [woman] ...and the minister sits just right[br]in the center there, where it looks like a table. 0:47:11.198,0:47:14.198 That's where he stands.[br]It's a very beautiful church. 0:47:15.958,0:47:18.774 [woman] I love it! I like it! 0:47:21.304,0:47:22.742 [woman] Oh, I love the organ. 0:47:24.206,0:47:25.923 [woman] Not my idea of a church. 0:47:28.003,0:47:30.051 - It's very little.[br]- Yeah, but it's nice! 0:47:32.118,0:47:35.478 [man] I think it's great for the city an[br]the building to have all this. 0:47:35.478,0:47:37.590 It brings religion right closer to the[br]people. 0:47:37.886,0:47:42.046 [narrator] Our recommendations after many[br]stormy meetings and public hearings, 0:47:42.046,0:47:45.342 are incorporated in New York City's new[br]zoning code. 0:47:45.342,0:47:49.246 Main points we've noted: sitting space, [br]close linkage to the street, 0:47:49.246,0:47:55.427 trees, and food--not made mandatory alas,[br]we lost on that one--but strongly recommended. 0:47:55.427,0:47:59.350 Another provision requires that at least [br]50% of the building's frontage 0:47:59.422,0:48:03.624 must be for retail activity, not just for [br]banks or blank walls. 0:48:03.624,0:48:09.319 There must be access for the disabled: ramps, [br]easy steps--in effect, better access for everyone. 0:48:09.319,0:48:13.191 The plaza must tie closely to the seat,[br]be no more than three feet 0:48:13.191,0:48:15.474 beneath street level, or three feet above. 0:48:15.933,0:48:19.548 There are stiff maintenance requirements, and[br]the zoning enables and encourages 0:48:19.548,0:48:22.247 the rejuvenation of existing plazas. 0:48:23.177,0:48:26.698 As a next step, the commission's excellent [br]urban design group came up with 0:48:26.710,0:48:29.825 comparable requirements for residential[br]construction. 0:48:29.825,0:48:32.843 As a result, small neighborhood parks. 0:48:33.630,0:48:36.830 One of the most encouraging things that's[br]been taking place 0:48:36.830,0:48:39.593 has been the livening up of existing plazas. 0:48:39.593,0:48:44.542 A New York telephone company put in this [br]snack bar and lots of tables and chairs. 0:48:44.542,0:48:50.163 They are very well used. So well, indeed, [br]that there's no vacuum anymore for undesirables. 0:48:50.163,0:48:53.970 On other existing spaces, cafes have been [br]going up. 0:48:53.970,0:48:55.986 The spaces are much the better for it. 0:48:57.903,0:49:01.683 More benches are being put out in front of [br]office buildings and stores; 0:49:01.684,0:49:05.567 the ones closest to the activity--bus stops, [br]store entrances, other ones [br] 0:49:05.567,0:49:09.161 that people like best, older people especially. 0:49:09.161,0:49:11.625 The closer to the action, the more they[br]like it. 0:49:13.244,0:49:17.425 We're also seeing a spontaneous invigoration[br]of a number of public places. 0:49:17.425,0:49:21.841 One is the plaza area around 60th St in [br]Central Park. 0:49:21.841,0:49:26.246 It's always been a pleasant place, but now,[br]as office construction has moved up to it, 0:49:26.246,0:49:30.107 there's a big, new constituency, and on [br]weekdays, it's jammed. 0:49:30.107,0:49:43.685 Vendors of every kind are there--shish kebab,[br]with or without pita, falafel, fruit, lemonade. 0:49:44.706,0:49:47.405 There's usually a lot of chitchat back and[br]forth. 0:49:57.966,0:50:00.903 "What's that?" [br]"Chinese beef!" he answered. 0:50:00.903,0:50:04.729 Now, they're in. It draws more[br]of a crowd, then that draws more people. 0:50:04.729,0:50:07.899 He usually has a cycle of about eight[br]minutes on this, 0:50:07.899,0:50:11.259 and mostly it's very much of a show. 0:50:11.820,0:50:13.473 The beef, by the way, is quite good. 0:50:14.250,0:50:18.299 Now, the cops have to give tickets, and [br]so they do rather desultory. 0:50:18.299,0:50:20.457 But, mostly it's live and let live. 0:50:30.279,0:50:35.388 Frederick Law Olmsted said that Central[br]Park should be a great gathering place 0:50:35.388,0:50:39.431 for all kinds of people, and so it is here. 0:50:41.061,0:50:44.075 You need a pretty good sized sidewalk for[br]bookstalls, 0:50:44.075,0:50:46.825 but they do busy a place up rather nicely. 0:50:47.253,0:50:52.085 These particular bookstall's first two years[br]of operation barely broke even. 0:50:52.085,0:50:55.039 It takes time to build a market, but now[br]they're doing quite well. 0:51:00.519,0:51:04.510 Another great place is the front of the[br]Metropolitan Museum of Art. 0:51:04.510,0:51:08.510 Steps are fine for sitting. As you might expect,[br]the steps right smack 0:51:08.510,0:51:11.540 in front of the entrance are the most favored. 0:51:11.540,0:51:18.630 But, there are movable chairs as well, and[br]they're out 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 0:51:18.630,0:51:21.530 People have been so good at not taking[br]them, that the museum figures 0:51:21.530,0:51:25.680 it's cheaper just to leave them out and [br]replace the few that are lost.[br] 0:51:29.393,0:51:30.886 The water is to be used. 0:51:34.319,0:51:38.351 The museum is quite hospitable to [br]entertainers and venders. 0:51:38.351,0:51:41.942 Some of the neighbors are not, and call[br]the cops. 0:51:41.942,0:51:45.922 So the chasing of the vendors has become[br]a stocked act in the street theater 0:51:45.922,0:51:47.150 out in front of the steps. 0:51:53.127,0:51:57.329 The vendors are a very resourceful lot. [br]They will be back. 0:52:06.777,0:52:11.886 Question: From city to city are the basic[br]factors pretty much the same? 0:52:11.886,0:52:13.550 Answer: Generally, yes. 0:52:13.550,0:52:17.507 But, there is one key variable:[br]scale. 0:52:17.507,0:52:21.912 This is Philip's Square in Toronto. Very [br]big place, but its proportions 0:52:21.912,0:52:23.981 are right for the buildings around it. 0:52:23.981,0:52:28.696 Here's another well-scaled place: the [br]park Seattle built over its freeway. 0:52:28.696,0:52:35.703 It's quite large, too. But it's experienced on[br]foot as a series of smaller spaces. 0:52:37.413,0:52:40.882 Now, we come to a smaller city, Lansing, [br]Michigan. 0:52:40.914,0:52:45.969 The best part of its new pedestrian mall is[br]this one square. 0:52:45.969,0:52:51.430 Not very big, but quite comfortable in [br]relation to its surroundings. Very pleasant. 0:52:52.623,0:52:58.139 The tendency is to overscale. [br]Here is the mall of Riverside, California. 0:52:58.665,0:53:01.502 Sometimes it is almost empty. 0:53:01.502,0:53:06.163 Cities like Riverside, which are low density[br]to begin with, need to concentrate. 0:53:06.163,0:53:11.326 This mall disperses over a fairly large space, [br]activity, and people and stores, 0:53:11.326,0:53:16.008 which had they been compressed, might have[br]come together in a critical mass. 0:53:19.668,0:53:21.429 Here is a critical mass. 0:53:21.429,0:53:28.758 This is Fountain Square, Cincinnati, which covers considerably less space then the mall we just saw. 0:53:28.758,0:53:31.368 There are many, many more people [br]in it. 0:53:31.368,0:53:34.878 It's probably the best public square in the [br]country. 0:53:34.878,0:53:39.798 It has a close relationship with the street, it's well[br]enclosed by the surrounding buildings, 0:53:39.798,0:53:43.798 the designers have provided all kinds of[br]choice; different kinds of sitting space, 0:53:43.798,0:53:47.798 different kinds of places to eat, it's well[br]programmed with activity. 0:53:48.365,0:53:54.197 But, most important of all: they put the[br]space in the very center of town. 0:53:54.197,0:53:58.390 Not five or six blocks away, but at the [br]100% location. 0:53:58.390,0:54:01.830 This is why it is such a unifying place. 0:54:01.830,0:54:04.870 Cincinnati comes together here. 0:54:08.256,0:54:09.834 And, you can touch the water. 0:54:11.762,0:54:17.586 A public square that's indoors: the Crystal[br]Court at the IDS Center in Minneapolis. 0:54:17.586,0:54:20.722 It's nicely transparent, no black walls here. 0:54:20.722,0:54:24.625 It connects well with street, stores, and[br]buildings around it. 0:54:24.625,0:54:28.871 On the second level, there are walkways. [br]They've become quite a notable feature, 0:54:28.871,0:54:34.950 helped by the fierce Minnesota winter climate [br]and by very heavy pedestrian flows. 0:54:35.001,0:54:40.728 Some smaller cities are copying the walkways [br]but without the heavy flows or the weather. 0:54:40.728,0:54:45.933 They should look again. This place works[br]because of its fundamentals, 0:54:45.933,0:54:48.909 and they are the same for a space with[br]a roof as one without. 0:54:48.996,0:54:54.219 Like Fountain Square, this is right smack [br]in the center of town. 0:54:54.219,0:54:58.026 It shows in the people. That's why this is[br]such a good place for looking at. 0:54:58.026,0:55:02.133 There are all kinds: old people, young people, [br]blue collar, white collar. 0:55:02.133,0:55:06.357 You get quite a different feeling here than[br]you do at a suburban shopping center. 0:55:07.997,0:55:09.884 Here you are at the crossroads. 0:55:12.153,0:55:17.177 In the old city of Boston, next to Nathaniel[br]Hall, ancient market buildings 0:55:17.177,0:55:20.814 have been made into the most sucessful [br]market place in the country. 0:55:20.814,0:55:26.851 It's a very urban one; there are lots of highly [br]specialized shops, every conceivable kind of food. 0:55:26.851,0:55:28.963 The place is crowded, and it's a bit messy. 0:55:28.963,0:55:30.637 People sit all over the place. 0:55:32.377,0:55:34.329 Notice how they're sitting on the steps,[br]especially. 0:55:35.448,0:55:40.109 It's quite energy efficient. These public spaces[br]open out to the outside. 0:55:40.109,0:55:44.802 In good weather, these garage-type windows[br]are rolled back to the open air, 0:55:44.802,0:55:49.260 and almost always, even in the coldest weather, [br]people will be sitting and eating outdoors. 0:55:49.905,0:55:55.579 What we have here is the very opposite of[br]the self-contained mega-structure. 0:55:55.579,0:56:00.709 The market is very much a part of downtown,[br]the street is going right through it. 0:56:02.229,0:56:08.123 It's only after we had studied many other places,[br]that I realized we could learn all of the lessons 0:56:08.123,0:56:10.993 right here on 101st St. 0:56:10.993,0:56:16.223 It's an excellently scaled block; [br]comfortably sized space, very nicely enclosed. 0:56:16.223,0:56:18.953 Lots of people and food! 0:56:21.416,0:56:23.961 Very social activity, too. 0:56:23.961,0:56:28.594 Water? Yes, and you can touch it, you can[br]aim it, you can slosh around in it. 0:56:33.724,0:56:36.874 Sitting? The best kind of space: slightly elevated. 0:56:39.728,0:56:44.698 The lot at the corner is used for games, but[br]the street itself is the number one 0:56:44.698,0:56:50.224 area for recreation, including that very popular [br]form: the polishing of the car. 0:56:50.224,0:56:54.224 This block has its problems, but it works as[br]a place. 0:56:55.341,0:56:59.842 Here we are back in Seagrams. It's a hazy[br]muggy afternoon. 0:56:59.842,0:57:02.956 Incidentally, that's the kind that always seem[br]to bring people out, 0:57:02.956,0:57:04.737 even moreso then the nippy ones. 0:57:05.412,0:57:09.052 A group of music students are giving a little[br]impromptu concert. 0:57:09.501,0:57:12.199 Some executives are still conferring. 0:57:12.199,0:57:16.909 It's a very nice time, just before 2 'o clock,[br]everybody's about ready to close up. 0:57:27.461,0:57:33.018 So, we end our film on plazas, not on the[br]plaza, but on the street itself. 0:57:33.018,0:57:34.778 That's where we should. 0:57:34.778,0:57:37.658 Street is the river of life for the city. 0:57:37.658,0:57:41.722 We come to these places not to escape, [br]but to partake of it.