A Thriving Public Realm

To achieve a thriving public realm which encourages social interaction attention needs to be given to the structure of space and the elements it contains.

Social Space:

• Focus activity areas in places with views across spaces, that are sunny and sheltered, have facilities for sitting, for shopping and for children to play.
• Create a interesting places by introducing an activity source alongside or within the interior of the space
• Design versatile spaces that enable a range of different activities
• Place direct routes through spaces
• Consider how sounds, smell and touch can enhance enjoyment of a place

Distinctive Places:

• Use floorscape design to strengthen local distinctiveness and identity
• Use planting to give direction, identity, separation or enclosure
• Use quality materials with high standards of attractiveness, durability and environmental performance, with maintenance to enable places to last.

Street Furniture:

• Minimise clutter to provide instead clear messages for users
• Decide which objects can be hidden and which should be features
• Produce a comprehensive and co-ordinated strategy of elements for each space
• Use public art to promote character and identity

Signage:

• Ensure the place has legible structure to avoid unnecessary signage. This can be supplemented by routing i.e. differing paving types
• Ensure signage is consistent and co-ordinated over a wide area

Lighting:

• Lighting can increase the perceived safety of an environment however care needs to be taken to avoid unnecessary light pollution
• Lighting can be provided by a variety of means; bollards, street light, faced lights, shop windows etc