redesigning streets … in favor of walking, cycling and public spaces

REDESIGNING STREETS

… in favor of walking, cycling and public spaces

22

INDEX

• A historical perspective

• So … a larger pan or lesser ingredients?

• Design according the DGC principle.

• The location determines the choice of mobility.

• Working with a mixture of methods.

3

Mobility and public space are no longer in balance

Of course the situation shown isn’t in The Netherlands

44

A historical perspective

Streets and public spaces as seen from a historical perspective:

• Every street or public space is created in a way it fits within the needs of that

specific historical era.

• It is the continuous (re)development of urban areas and new forms of mobility

which makes these streets and public spaces no longer fit within the needs of

a future era.

5

But first about how it all started …

In the beginning there was a lot of public space

6

The Romans founded the city of Utrecht (47 AD)

7

Then it became an early medieval city (1122)

And finally a late medieval city (1674)

8

More space needed for new types of transportation (1936)

9

10

The era of the car (1970)

Again imbalance between mobility and public spaces (2015)

11Like in the past 2000 years tearing all down and rebuild the city again is THE solution?

So … a larger pan or lesser ingredients?

12

A pan of (vegetable) soup

Step 1: The location determines the choice of mobility

AB

C

13

14

Step 2: Design according the DGC principle

Well designed streets and public spaces results in:

• Smarter choices of mobility.

• Modified behavior in traffic.

• Better and smarter policy on pedestrians (… in a country of cyclist !!! ).

DGC stands for ‘De Gebruiker Centraal’ and means something like ‘Placing the user in a central spot’.

AfterBefore

15

Working with a mixture of methods

The environment of (public) buildingsThe psychology of behavioral acting

Used methods:

1. The psychology of behavioral acting.

2. The environment of (public) buildings.

3. Functional Ambiance (FA).

16

Functional Ambiance (I)

FA as a method is developed by ‘Hogeschool Rotterdam’ and ‘De Urbanisten’

17

Functional Ambiance (II)

Haarlemmerstraat (Amsterdam)

Exhibition Road (London)

Functional Ambiance (III)

18

Example #1: World of places (Redesign of an urban public space)

19Adriaen van Ostadelaan, Utrecht

Example #1: The final result?

20Adriaen van Ostadelaan, Utrecht

2121

Example #2: World of flows (Flow versus Criss-Cross)

Korte Jansstraat / Domstraat, Utrecht

Example #2: The final result!

22Korte Jansstraat / Domstraat, Utrecht

Example #3: A combination of both worlds (flows and places)

23‘t Goylaan, Utrecht

24

Example #3: Functional Design (1)

‘t Goylaan, Utrecht

25

Example #3: Functional Design (2)

‘t Goylaan, Utrecht

City of Utrecht, Ronald Tamse, 21st

of May 2015

“Thank you for your attention”

26