During the research period, I have investigated how people travel across the sites referenced below and how the transitions of the spaces changed pedestrians’ movement.
The goal of this research is to better understand the movement of people through a formal public space and what city and regional planners can do to enhance and encourage pedestrian movement.
The spaces of observation were Columbus Circle, Times Square, and the Highline in Manhattan and Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, of New York. All four sites have either gone through or are currently going through transitions.
I researched the history of each space as well as its physical and social aspects and how the spaces change. Through the use of maps, I documented how people related to and used the spaces in order to understand the relationship to the surrounding environment. I made numerous visual observations to understand how people used the spaces, to get their opinions of their feelings toward the use of these areas. I observed how people accessed the spaces. I made notes of what they did, their diversity, how long they stayed, their direction of travel, and their physical numbers.
What I have discovered through this research is that in order for the cities to become more walkable, the ambiance and atmosphere of public plazas are more important than the pathways which connect them. There is also a need for a destination and variations of interest along the way, such as the formal public spaces as indicated in this research. Traffic through these spaces should flow smoothly, avoiding overcrowding, with the resultant degradation of these public areas. Lastly the people need to feel that they are safe from vehicular traffic, and all forms of physical harm.
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