From buildings and street signs to green space and lighting, the public realm is filled with elements to study. I chose sidewalks. I have always been interested in what might be the most underappreciated element of the public realm. Sidewalks reveal a great deal about the spaces we inhabit.
Image 1 is located in a business district surrounded by parking lots. This area of the city was not designed for people to navigate. It is scaled for the car with its wide streets, long crosswalks, and lack of shade.
Images 2, 3, and 4 take us to an older part of the city. To a time without abundant automobile usage, characterized by narrow streets. These sidewalks are made of brick, lined with trees, and are significantly wider.
Above: A map showing the locations where the images were drawn, corresponding to their respective numbers. The stars show locations for interventions (below).
Over the years, the city has replaced the historic brick sidewalks with new concrete sidewalks as they have cracked. This creates sidewalks that break up the consistent urban flow of this area. Seeing these beautiful hand-laid brick sidewalks broken up by basic gray concrete takes visitors out of the feeling of this historic area.
I proposed incorporating this project to blend concrete and brick, creating a smooth transition between the two (intervention 1). I have also suggested the same concept when merging vertically laid and horizontally laid bricks (intervention 2).
By implementing these interventions, we can create a cohesive urban environment that preserves the historic feel of this space for guests. It may not seem like much, but when you experience it for yourself, it makes the landscape just a bit more magical.