Like a lot of European cities, Lisbon's public spaces are "complete destinations" -- they have not just places to sit, but places to eat and use the bathroom. Sometimes just a place to buy a newspaper or magazine. Or a fountain to entertain kids or sit near or meet someone at. It is amazing to me how many American public spaces have just space to sit and nothing else. And then we're like -- why do we have to program these spaces? Why is it only filled with homeless people? Why can't they fund themselves?
That's a great point. Strangely (?), I avoided photographing the bathrooms, but they are one reason why we were able to sit for hours with a bottle of wine (another was that they brought a second bottle).
Since I made the comparison to San Francisco, I was tempted to extend the analogy since SF has some good examples of public spaces that work and that don't. Civic Center Plaza is largely a failure: monumental design and buildings whose uses don't generate a lot of foot traffic, a vast unenclosed space, few amenities—it's all alienating, even if it's nice to look at, and almost always empty. I was reminded that there was a pre-pandemic Civic Center Public Realm Plan to address this, but it seems to have stalled.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away is Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley, which is a more enclosed space surrounded by restaurants, kiosks, and shared (slow) streets—and it's always busy (but no public restrooms, IIRC).
I haven't been to either space in years, and so didn't want to make the connection without seeing current conditions.
On average, people seemed more calm and less rushed. I drove in London and around the Cotswolds. People were patient. No one honked. I get a sense that Americans are more financially stressed than Europeans. Time is money. Many Europeans hang out in coffee shops and restaurants for hours. I got bored myself after a week.
Also, UK does a better job of investing in infrastructure such as roads and parks. I can't remember if I saw one pothole in two weeks. Parks are clean and there aren't homeless everywhere like LA. There are hundreds of miles of public right ways through private lands. It's a different mindset of shared amenities than Americans seem to have.
I definitely think there's a cultural difference. That said, my impression from living in NY and SF is that when we have well-amenitized, well-designed spaces in the US, people do seem to use them (see Diana's comment above). It's just that we don't design/amenitize a lot of them well.
Thanks, Chuck! And thanks for sharing your article—great stuff. In the article you mentioned the "creative class" phenomenon a couple times...have you written more about that?
Sure, but I would really just defer to Richard Florida and all of his well-known work on the subject. I despise self quotes, but this is from the introduction to my third book:
Richard Florida, one of the best-known urbanists of our time, recently spoke of urban places as a study unit in similar comprehensive terms.According to Florida, the history of urban studies has been self-defeating, increasingly fragmenting into specialty areas, and lacking the unity of a core focus. This diffuseness contrasts sharply with more rigorous and cohesive disciplines such as medicine and engineering. Fragmentation complicates urban problems and precludes a unifying framework for solutions.
Ha! I see from your profile description—"Austin expat living in San Francisco, the Lisbon of the Pacific"—that you are like the ideal target audience for this one.
Like a lot of European cities, Lisbon's public spaces are "complete destinations" -- they have not just places to sit, but places to eat and use the bathroom. Sometimes just a place to buy a newspaper or magazine. Or a fountain to entertain kids or sit near or meet someone at. It is amazing to me how many American public spaces have just space to sit and nothing else. And then we're like -- why do we have to program these spaces? Why is it only filled with homeless people? Why can't they fund themselves?
That's a great point. Strangely (?), I avoided photographing the bathrooms, but they are one reason why we were able to sit for hours with a bottle of wine (another was that they brought a second bottle).
Since I made the comparison to San Francisco, I was tempted to extend the analogy since SF has some good examples of public spaces that work and that don't. Civic Center Plaza is largely a failure: monumental design and buildings whose uses don't generate a lot of foot traffic, a vast unenclosed space, few amenities—it's all alienating, even if it's nice to look at, and almost always empty. I was reminded that there was a pre-pandemic Civic Center Public Realm Plan to address this, but it seems to have stalled.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away is Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley, which is a more enclosed space surrounded by restaurants, kiosks, and shared (slow) streets—and it's always busy (but no public restrooms, IIRC).
I haven't been to either space in years, and so didn't want to make the connection without seeing current conditions.
I observed similar things in the UK.
On average, people seemed more calm and less rushed. I drove in London and around the Cotswolds. People were patient. No one honked. I get a sense that Americans are more financially stressed than Europeans. Time is money. Many Europeans hang out in coffee shops and restaurants for hours. I got bored myself after a week.
Also, UK does a better job of investing in infrastructure such as roads and parks. I can't remember if I saw one pothole in two weeks. Parks are clean and there aren't homeless everywhere like LA. There are hundreds of miles of public right ways through private lands. It's a different mindset of shared amenities than Americans seem to have.
I definitely think there's a cultural difference. That said, my impression from living in NY and SF is that when we have well-amenitized, well-designed spaces in the US, people do seem to use them (see Diana's comment above). It's just that we don't design/amenitize a lot of them well.
Great stuff. I was fortunate to have a week truly immersing and one of my visits and landed a tremendous amount over the years from kind hosts and opportunities to contribute to Revista Smart Cities. https://www.planetizen.com/features/96310-forget-smart-we-need-context-cities
Thanks, Chuck! And thanks for sharing your article—great stuff. In the article you mentioned the "creative class" phenomenon a couple times...have you written more about that?
Sure, but I would really just defer to Richard Florida and all of his well-known work on the subject. I despise self quotes, but this is from the introduction to my third book:
Richard Florida, one of the best-known urbanists of our time, recently spoke of urban places as a study unit in similar comprehensive terms.According to Florida, the history of urban studies has been self-defeating, increasingly fragmenting into specialty areas, and lacking the unity of a core focus. This diffuseness contrasts sharply with more rigorous and cohesive disciplines such as medicine and engineering. Fragmentation complicates urban problems and precludes a unifying framework for solutions.
Fifteen minutes ago: "Lisbon... Lisbon... wait - that's in Portugal, right?"
Now, after reading your article: "I've always loved Lisbon."
Ha! I see from your profile description—"Austin expat living in San Francisco, the Lisbon of the Pacific"—that you are like the ideal target audience for this one.
Wow this place is beautiful. Wish to go one day.