streets as parks--rethinking and activating public space in seattle and boston

WHY STREETS AS PARKS?

NOT ENOUGH.

POORLY CONNECTED.

INEQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED.

A CASE STUDY: BELL STREET PARK

CONTEXT

SHARROWS IN BOTH WESTBOUND LANES

HEAVY USE BY BUSES AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES

THREE FLAT BLOCKS AND ONE STEEPER BLOCK

CRIME WAS A MAJOR CONCERN

COLLABORATION WAS KEY graphic courtesy of Hewitt

MOA

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS…

WELL ATTENDED, BUT A LOT OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS

LESS TRADITIONAL VENUES

SUMMER STREET PARTY IN THE STREET

MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE

8 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR STREET PERFORM LIKE A PARK

1. RECLAIM

2. ELEVATE

3. GRID

4. TWIST

5. MEANDER

6. GUIDE

7. BLUR

8. GROW

A FLEXIBLE FRAMEWORK

APPLIED ONE BLOCK AT A TIME

TO FORM A 4-BLOCK STREET PARK CORRIDOR

CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE IN MARCH 2014

1ST TO 2ND

2ND TO 5TH

A FRONT PORCH FOR ALL

ALSO IMPORTANT AT NIGHT

DIVERSITY OF SPACES

SAFE CURBLESS CROSSINGS

RECYCLING CURBS…

INTO “PERCHES”

ACCESSIBILITY

DEEP ACCESSIBILITY

THE SLOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR

PUBLIC SPACES WHERE WE FEEL SAFE TO BRING CHILDREN

AUGUST 2013

MARCH 2014

JULY 2014

A FLEXIBLE STAGE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ACTIVATE!

A WORD ABOUT CURBS

A WORD ABOUT PARKING

A WORD ABOUT DOGS

ALL IN ALL, POSITIVE RESULTS SO FAR AND SEATTLE IS POISED TO BUILD ON IT

WHAT’S NEXT?

NORD ALLEY, SEATTLE

PIONEER PASSAGE, SEATTLE

Other alley here

WEEDIN PLACE, SEATTLE

IT COMES FULL CIRCLE…