Aisha Civic Center

7/31/2019 Aisha Civic Center

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Stumbling Blocks to Creating Great Civic Centersand How to Overcome Them

By Cynthia Nikitin

Traditionally, the center of most cities has been a commons, a civic space built according to

democratic principles. The commons may be a historic commercial square, as in Madison, Wisconsin, or

it may be a mall (in the original sense), like the ones that grace San Franciscos City Hall and the US

Capitol. In almost every case, major public and cultural institutions are located around the commons,

forming a civic center of enormous practical and symbolic importance.

Libraries are the cornerstones of many civic centers. They may be joined by city halls, museums,

government offices, churches, opera houses, courthouses, or any number of other public-minded

institutions. With strong partnerships and a clear purpose, the people behind these buildings can

breathe life into their shared public spacethe commonsand create a vibrant, cohesive district. A fully-

realized civic center proclaims the mission and identity of its institutions for all to see, so that the

commons becomes a forum for public expression and a source of community pride.

For civic centers to succeed, the institutions and attractions within them must coalesce around the

commons.

Pitfalls abound on the path to success, however. One of the biggest problems is that civic centers are

not always seen as cohesive districts, and often fail to function as engaging public spaces. There are few

things more dispiriting than an empty courthouse square or grand library steps without a soul in sight.

The failure of such places raise disturbing questions about the fate of the public realm itself.


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Lively civic centers showcase the strength of their community and help kindle a democratic spirit. To

help create better civic spaces around the country, PPS looks at the major stumbling blocks we have

observed in our work with libraries, museums, courthouses, and other public institutionsand outlines

proven strategies to overcome these problems and establish a vital commons at the heart of our cities.

Lesson #1

If you build it, make sure they come

Downtown Tacoma, Washington boasts a resurgent historic core with plenty of potential for a first-class

civic center to emerge. Thats what city leaders had in mind when they built a new public square called

Tollefson Plaza in the center of downtown, less than a block away from three museums, a convention

center, a branch of the University of Washington campus, and a historic train station adapted for re-use

as a Federal Courthouse. But residents soon discovered that the plazas fantastic location provided no

guarantee that it would automatically work from the moment it opened.

Without strong management or programming, Tacoma's Tollefson Plaza did not live up to its promise.

Following a PPS workshop in 2006, efforts are now underway to activate this important civic space.

Lacking a clear mission or program, the plaza debuted with many important questions still unanswered.

Who would use it? What would people do there? Who would manage it? The cornerstone institutions

that surrounded the plaza had no mandate to program it. Nor were they sure how their own patrons

might use it, what activities people could do there, or how they might help run the plaza over the long

term. On top of that uncertainty, cost concerns prevented amenities like restrooms, concessions, and

seating from seeing the light of day. When the plaza opened, few people used it besides skateboarders

and the homeless.

Solution:

Create a program of events and activities based on a high level of community involvement.Once a public space has been built, people still need a reason to go there. One of the most

compelling attractions is a full calendar of events and activities. Luckily, civic centers make ideal

locations for public space programmingfor two reasons. First, they are natural places for


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neighboring institutions to hold events that highlight their missions, like when a museum puts

on an art market, or a courthouse organizes a civic forum. When institutions work together on

an events calendar for a shared public space, it builds mutual support and leads to more

opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.Second, as places that embody democratic

values, civic centers should strive to appeal to the communities who work or live nearby. Getting

people involved from the ground up is essential. This means engaging a broad range of local

groups in programming the space, creating events that will appeal to people of different ages,

cultures, and backgrounds. Cultural and arts organizations should be encouraged to use civic

center performances as a means of generating new audiences. Ethnic festivals, public markets,

music and theater can all reflect the diversity of adjacent neighborhoods and the community as

a wholeand make the civic center feel like a place that belongs to everyone.

Lesson #2

Fill in the missing links

All over the world, there is a pattern of situating civic institutions next to each other. Though they may

share the same streets, the same audience, and even many of the same goals, they hardly ever

communicate with each other. As a result, many opportunities to achieve mutual objectives go

unfulfilled. For instance, when the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC found itself in

desperate need of a child care center, they struggled mightily to re-design their ground floor to

accommodate it. Little did they know that directly across the street, a Presbyterian Church was planning

to close its child care facility due to lack of enrollment. Without active relationships between

institutions, mutual opportunities go unfulfilled and the district as a whole suffers.

Many civic center districts have multiple improvement effortsled by different agenciesunderway

concurrently. A lack of coordination often results in overlap, inconsistencies, or gaps in implementation.For instance, sidewalk improvement projects conducted by two agencies may use completely different

materials, or a street may get dug up five separate times (for new sewer lines, fiber-optic wiring, etc.)

instead of handling everything in a coordinated manner. The missing link is communication. A great civic

center is more than just a group of buildingsit also needs a robust network of partnerships to fully

succeed.


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Thanks to good communication between different agencies, sidewalks and streets outside the Post

Office in Montpelier, Vermont were renovated in coordination with the reconstruction of a nearby

water main.

Solutions:

Work together to create a vision for the civic center as a livelier place. Start by developing aneighborhood plandocumenting and mapping out all the improvements planned and underway

in the civic center. This plan is the starting point for a larger vision statement for the area. In

addition, the boundaries of the district should be determined and mapped. Take the plan to

local government agencies (parks, public works, transportation) as a group, and work with the

city to get the vision funded and implemented. Meet with the Mayors Office and City Council

members to obtain their support and provide seed money.

Publicize local cultural events and businesses. During the day, civic centers are full of officeworkers, be they government employees, library aides or lawyers. They are a natural audience

for nearby cultural institutions. But this audience will not materialize unless a concerted effort is

made to encourage them to patronize cultural institutions and local businesses. The managers

of a federal courthouse and office building in San Francisco, for instance, are planning a program

of outreach and promotion to building tenants around City Hall. The effort will publicize local

organizations and events, drawing employees out into the community for dining, shopping,

entertainment and volunteer activities.

Band together to develop a management strategy for the area. When improvements areunderway concurrently, a collective management effort will help coordinate and provide

oversight. The new management entity can function as a neutral forum where mutual interests

are recognized, relationships built, and viewpoints of all participating stakeholders represented

(including neighborhood-based organizations). To start with, the organization could focus on:

o Maintenance and security (sidewalk repair, neighborhood policing, etc.)


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o Bundling together any small plans and projects to create a larger impact on the area as awhole (faade improvement programs, street tree planting, commercial corridor

revitalization, streetscaping, etc.)

o Developing funding mechanisms that rely on diverse sources, such as BusinessImprovement District assessments, public sector contributions, and special events.

Lesson #3:

Get feet back on the street

Surprisingly, the layout and atmosphere of many civic centers discourage people from getting around on

foot. Even though offices, restaurants, shops, and cultural institutions may be located close together, a

poor pedestrian environment makes them feel cut off from one another. In many cases, streets are

simply designed to accommodate more and faster traffic than whats needed, which negatively affects

perceptions of pedestrian safety.

Republic Square in downtown Austin, Texas, for example, feels like an island unto itself, surrounded by

fast-moving traffic on three sides. As a result, tenants and visitors who frequent the neighboring art

museum, state office building, and warehouse district rarely take advantage of this welcoming green

space. The space is currently being redeveloped as Republic Square Park, which will be the front yard for

a new federal courthouse and a revitalized post office complex. Managing traffic in this four-block area

and getting more feet on the streetis imperative for the park to emerge as the heart of a thriving civic

center.

Solution:

Create a neighborhood pedestrian and traffic calming plan. A good traffic calming planencourages people to walk, bike, or take transit to various destinations within the civic center.

The first step is to map out and label all the public spaces, cultural destinations, retail areas,

workplaces, and transit stops in the district. Then, develop a plan that highlights good

pedestrian links between these locations, and identify where new pedestrian paths should be

created. The broader transportation vision for the area can then be generated using these

locations and connections as the key.More detailed elements of the plan can widening

sidewalks for outdoor seating and dining; narrowing travel lanes to allow on-street parking;

bumping out sidewalks at intersections to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and reduce the

speed of turning cars; and converting one-way streets to two-way wherever possible.


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A vision map for Republic Square in Austin, Texas highlights streets, intersections, and sidewalks where

pedestrian improvements should be made.

Lesson #4:

Whats in a name? Everything!

A great civic center needs a name that will stick, or else most people wont even know its there. It

sounds simple enough, but a surprising number of civic centers have yet to stake a claim to their own

identity. They need to be named, marketed, and branded in a way that no one will easily forget.

Until a few years ago, the federal properties in Denver, Colorado suffered from an identity crisis. Theywere perceived simply as a collection of government buildings, residential developments, and offices

without a cohesive character. When plans got underway for a new light rail stop in front of the districts

historic federal courthouse building, the Regional Transportation District jumped at the chance to

remedy the situation. Working in partnership with the courts, the city and the General Services

Administration (which operates the courthouse), the RTD named the area the Denver Federal District.

While far from poetic, this name helped transform public perception. Today the Federal District is

thriving thanks to management that programs its spaces and plans for improvements.

Solutions:

Introduce consistent signage throughout the civic center. This helps brand the area as a districtand encourages people to explore it on foot.

Market the civic center. The goods, services and programs offered by each institution should bemarketed together in a coordinated manner. Different institutions often serve the same people,

so developing a shared strategy makes a lot of sense. Steps may include:


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o Developing a resource map listing all the civic services and programs in and around thearea.

o Creating a visitor brochure listing attractions and amenities available in theneighborhood.

o Distributing a tenant guide to all employees in the area with inserts of volunteeropportunities in the neighborhood.

These tools will help get information to visitors and employees about the diverse mix that the area has

to offer

Community Research

Civic Center Development

Civic Center Designs by JGM "Each Civic Center plays a significant role in the life of t

respective communities. JGM treats each center as an

to create a landmark to serve and reflect their commu

(www.jgm-inc.com)

JGM Landscape Architects out of Bellevue,WA has wor

exclusively in the Pacific Northwest have worked on su

as Tukwila City Hall, Bellingham City Hall, Lynnwood Ci

etc. Many of JGM's projects have been in campus setti

serve their communities, optimize community investm

maximize personnel utilization and minimize environm

impacts.

Figure 1 is a rendering of the new "Civic Plaza"in downt

Although the scale is different the principles of this proapplied to the proposed Sandpoint civic center project

the best design possible. The plaza shown in Figure 1 is

front door to the city hall, which is able to accommoda

crowds, such as community gatherings and celebration

provide spaces for intimate gatherings.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:
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Figure 3:

Figure 4:

Some of the design principles articulated in the Seattle project

include:

1) Creating a Civic Plaza that is primarily about public life in Sea

2) Assuring ease of movement throughout the site for all citize

3) Providing and sustaining an active public space for a diversit

activities

4) Capturing the uniqueness of the area and celebrating the fo

and characteristics of Seattle

Lubbock Civic Center

Lubbock, Texas

The Lubbock Memorial Civic Center stands as a

to the perseverance and resilience of the people

Texas. Built on the site of the 1970 tornado, this

square foot facility is flexible enough to accomm

events or small specialized gatherings. The struc

and architectural design of the facility combine

versatility making it a convenient and impressiv

accommodation for a meeting, trade show, con

convention (the convention area is the peach co

plan view).

Located in downtown Lubbock, the facility has 1

free parking spaces. The central location of the

provides easy access to hotels, the Depot Distric

of restaurants, shopping, Texas Tech University

International Airport.

The Grand Stairway (Figure 1) leads to the sceni

plaza (Figure 2) which has become the focal poiLubbock Memorial Civic Center. Complete with

fountains, bridges and ornamental landscaping,

relaxing environment and is used for parties, we

receptions. The plaza is indicated in pink on the

(Figure 3).

Figure 1: Grand Stairway

Figure 2:
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mmunityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/resources.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/members.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/waterfront_development.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/parking.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/street_improvements.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/lightrail/light_rail.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/sidewalks.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/schools.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/retail_shopping.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/recreation_center_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/public_plazas.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design1.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/park_design.htmhttp://www.class.uidaho.edu/communityresearch/multFamlyHousingi.htm


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Figure 3: Plan View (http://.lmcc.ci.lubbock.tx.us/ccdw.h

Civic Plaza Design

Seattle, WA recently commissioned a

revitalization of civic buildings with the

incorporation of public spaces. This
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Public Safety Building Block Concept Plan

Model of City Hall

City Hall Schematic Site Plan

project was headed by landscape

architect Kathryn Gustafson and the

firms Gustafson Partners Ltd. and Swift

& Company Landscape Architects LLC.

These drawings were presented to the

Seattle Design Commission and City

Council by the design team on August

14, 2000. The plan was approved August

19, 2000. The project was begun in

1998, and construction began on April 4,

2001. The project is not yet finished.

Civic Center Open Space Site Plan

The Civic Center, at City Hall

Works Cited:

1. Blood, Bruce, content manager. "CivicCenter." City of Seattle. Rona Zevin,

director. April 15, 2002. Sept. 3, 2002

www.cityofseattle.net/civiccenter/defau

lt.htm
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Town Center

Serene Place

Broadstairs, England

The streets of Broadstairs in England are very tr

area for fishing, sailing, and many other dining

community activities. It is located in an area wit

large bays for excellent access and regress. Thetimes congested but have been improved upon

residential and commercial areas a better flow

tourists. The planning for this area had to be re

over the centuries to make Broadstairs more

adaptable as the city grew and more tourists w

in for large events and festivities.

The expanding and widening of streets have to

planned out so that the original setting of the t

destroyed.

Serene Place, a small cul-de-sac at the bottom

Street, is another example of old Broadstairs. W

function has changed, the streets and buildings

all their character and charm.

Figure 1: Plan

www.tibby.demon.co.uk

/Broadstairs.html

Deer Park center, During the late 1990's, retail development failed to ke
http://www.tibby.demon.co.uk/http://www.tibby.demon.co.uk/http://www.tibby.demon.co.uk/


12/26

Deer Park, IL rapidly expanding affluent populations in Deer Park and other

growing suburbs in northwest Chicago. Previously, residents in

these areas were traveled great distances south or into downt

Chicago to do their shopping. Rather than creating a real

downtown for these suburban communities a developer adop

downtown theme for a suburban shopping center to serve the

commercial needs. Poag & McEwen opened Deer Park Town

Center in 2000 tos serve vehicular based shoppers.

By 2005, nearly 650,000 people with an average household inc

exceeding $120,000 will reside within 10 miles of Deer Park To

Center, including more than 90,000 households having income

greater than $100,000. This will be more than 25 percent grow

within the northwest Chicago suburbs since 2000. Most of the

commercial development and infrastructure will be created to

support the shopping mall where more than 60,000 vehicles p

each day rather than to support traditional community center

(www.deerparktowncenter.tv/).

Figure 1: Views of the

entrance showing the

landscape excellent access

for vehicle and pedestrian

crossings.

www.deerparktowncenter.tv/

Civic Centers and Plazas Principles of Landscape Design for

Public Plazas:

One purpose of landscape design is to

blend man's technology building into the

urban context. The landscape architect

must have knowledge of art elements,

design principles, and spatial

organization to create effective civic

spaces. (Dewayne L. Ingram,02)

This publication will familiarize the

A Case Study In

Culver City, CA

As one can see, this design fallows the

elements mentioned before, such as

balance, repetition, unity, and focal
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points.

Figure #31-Master plan of Culver Civic

Center.

The vertical and horizontal forms are

created by the arrangement of plants.

A transition from the street to the

building is created through the use of

small, medium, and large plant

material. The trees provide a positive

scale relationship with the building.

Figure #32-Culver City Civic

Center.

This arch is a historic reference to the

old civic center of 1928 and creates a

threshold from the street to the plaza.

citizens of Hayden with design terms

and concepts.

Terms of Design:

1. Form - Planting and materialarrangement in the landscape.

2. Texture - Materials that can be seen

or felt (coarse, medium, or fine).

3. Scale - Size of an object according to

its surroundings.

4. Unity - Effective use of Components in

a design to express a main idea through

consistent style. They just fit together.

5. Balance - The equality of visual

stimulus.

6. Transition - Gradual change

throughout the design (big, medium,

small).

7. Proportion - Refers to the size of parts

of a design in relation to each other, and

to the design as a whole.

8. Focal Point - A visual interest point.

9. Repetition - The common use of an

object or plant material to create

harmony in the site.

Some of the general need and goals of

civic design include:

1. Universal access.

2. Design communicating civic pride,

efficiency and democratic ideals

3. Space for public events like speeches,


14/26

Figure #33-Archway Facing Culver

Blvd.

This fountain functions as a focal point.

Its sound, location and visual animation

leads patrons into the plaza

Figure #34-The Fountain.

The sidewalk entry into the building is

reinforced by flanking hedges. Texture

of the hedge, trees and building parts

that can be seen or felt create a visually

unified scheme.

displays and receptions

4. Space for individual use like eating

and resting.

5. Space for cultural enrichment likehistory, art, and music.

We hope to implement these functional

aspects of design into the design of the

civic center plaza, and in doing so

demonstrate ways that they can be

used. The example, below, illustrates a

case study of the Culver City Civic Center

in Culver City, California, produced by

Sarah Huff and Laurel Gollong.

In conclusion, our team will help the

community of Hayden design a well

developed plan for civic center building

and plaza. With the community's help,

we can fulfill the city of Hayden's

needs.

The list below is the design process we

will use to design the Hayden Civic Plaza

and Building.

Steps in Design:

1. Develop a plot plan.

2. Conduct a site analysis.

3. Access the community's needs and

desires.

4. Locate activity areas.

5. Design activity areas conceptually.

6. Receive ideas and concepts from the

community through feedback.

7. Take feedback and make decisions


15/26

Figure #35-Entry into

Building.

Figure #36-Entry to Fountain.

The entry into the courtyard from the

north end is through a grove of trees in

planters which create a sub space.

with public's consent.

8. Develop a master plan.

9. Select material and determine

placement.

10. Plant selection and placement.

11. Present master plan to community.

Figure #39-Entry Courtyard.


16/26

Figure #37-The Italian

Cypress.

Accessibility through ramps, handrails

and well designed steps is a must.

Figure #38-Universal Access.

Bohemia Walled Garden Association

BWGA Gardens in UK Bohemia Estate Roman Bath Ice House Summerfields Wood
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Art & Culture in the Woods Contact Us more...

Arthur Swift & Partners - Hastings Civic Centre

In the mid 1960s Hastings Borough had a grand vision to develop a civic complex on the 46.65 acre

Summerfields Estate that they had purchased. A report, Hastings Civic Centre Architectural & Planning

by Arthur Swift & Partners (Chartered Architects & Planning Consultants - 21 Upper Grosvenor Street

London W1) was commissioned by HBC and published in April 1967 it identified the the types of userswho might get incorporated into a series of new civic buildings located on the land that had been

acquired. An 18 page preliminary report entitled "Civic Centre for the Borough of Hastings " was

prepared by Arthur Swift & Partners dated 21st March 1967. The General Purposes Committee dealt

with the Summerfields Civic Development on dates 18th April & 30th May 1967. This particular

adventure in town planning was not the first ambitious scheme to ultimately hit the buffers. In October

1946 as Hastings settled down after years of war Borough Engineer Sidney Little was promoting "Double

Deck City" with ambitious plans of roads through the centre of Hastings.

It would appear like many consultants reports that the reccomendations were based on wild guesses

where in 1967 they calculated the population of Hastings would increase to 150,000 residents.Changesto local government structure caused by the Local Government Reform Act in April 1974 affected the

need for many departments but the original plan was to provide 100,000 sq ft of office space to

accomadate 500 staff with the option of an additional 50% increase of planned office space. The report

envisaged 60 elected members of HBC (Hastings currently has 32) Space was allocated for a council

chamber for the 60 members as well as members suite,committee rooms, mayoral suite and a public

gallery.
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18/26

The report considered a range of different civic uses relocating departments like the Fire & Ambulance

Service to new purpose designed buildings. The main development was proposed to be centred on land

between the North & South Lodges of the estate and that included the site of Bohemia Mansion.

The first building to be completed was the Ambulance Station due for construction Autumn 1967. A few

months later the Fire Station we see today was opened. Interestingly the the Arthur Swift reports

envisaged the retention of the North Lodge with the new Fire Station opening onto Bohemia Road but

to the north of the Lodge and gate pillars. The structure that was built ensured the demolition of the

North Lodge. Interestingly it was another Fire Station at the ridge that caused the demolition the

entrance to Coghurst Hall another Brisco home. Below there are more details of how these buildings

were to be built in phases.

Plans for a new Civic Centre 1972


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Plans for municipal offices ,civic hall ,art gallery & museum.

The Court and Police Headquarters did get built but the Civic Centre planned to be placed on the site of

Summerfields House never occurred.

The staff at HBC appreciated the need and desirability to combine different offices around the town and

to be able to own and control their own office space and to create new civic space for meetings and

galleries but they could never understand that the retention of the old house with offices behind and

around could have ensured that there were some building of quality within their proposed

development.

It is clear that the retention of any historic assets was not a priority, but even the Arthur Swift report

did not reccomend the demolition of existing buildings unless the space was required.


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It was considered more appropriate to locate the Crown Offices, Public Library and Swimming Pool

nearer to the town centre and in the case of a swimming pool near the seafront to cater for visitors.

Alongside the development of the Civic Complex were proposals to create new accesses to the area

from the east with new roads entering Summerfields Wood from Linton Road and over what was then

in the mid 60s open ground. Parking for 750 cars was achieved on a series of terraces down the hillside.

Within the report paragraph 2.5 referred to the future ofSummerfields Housesaying "consideration

must be given to the future ofSummerfields House, whatever purpose it is put to it will have a limited

economic life and it is possible a new building would need to be provided for any temporary user. If it is

demolished prior to its site being required for Civic Centre Buildings the vacant land should be left tidied

and some landscaping carried out."

Possible levels of development Map 1 Immediate build
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Shown on map 1 the report envisaged an "Immediate Build" program. Three developments were

identified to be built initially. The Ambulance Station was to be located adjacent to the highway. The

initial build would also have included Law Courts and a Police Headquarters. This is the level of

development that actually occurred and Summerfields House / Bohemia Mansion can be seen

unaffected by any new buildings, to the north east of the Law Court.

Possible levels of development Map 2 Part Civic Centre

Shown on map 3 was a "Completed Civic Centre" showing buildings extending to the south near to the

Law Court with a development area covering virtually the entire area between Bohemia & Briscos Walk.

at this phase it was intended to develop an alternative access for vehicles entering the area from Linton

Road. Ultimately the entrance/exit from Bohemia would have been closed. The intention was to have a

new highway that would have left Linton Road some 6 houses up from Linton Crescent and then

crossing open land and Briscos Walk into the Civic Centre. This approach was proposed in order to

create a more impressive approach to the centre and to "recognise the importance and dignity of the

buildings".


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Possible levels of development Map 3 Completed Civic Centre

Shown on map 3 was a "Completed Civic Centre" showing buildings extending to the south near to the

Law Court with a development area covering virtually the entire area between Bohemia & Briscos Walk.

at this phase it was intended to develop an alternative access for vehicles entering the area from Linton

Road. Ultimately the entrance/exit from Bohemia would have been closed. The intention was to have a

new highway that would have left Linton Road some 6 houses up from Linton Crescent and then

crossing open land and Briscos Walk into the Civic Centre. This approach was proposed in order to

create a more impressive approach to the centre and to "recognise the importance and dignity of the

buildings".

Possible levels of development Map 4 -Possible Further Growth


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Shown on Map 4 entitled "Possible Further Growth" it showed more buildings to the east of the existing

Law Court identified as a Conference Centre extending to a point level with the north of the Walled

Garden. A further building identified as a Health Centre would have been fitted in on the Bohemia Road

frontage between the Police Station and the Fire Station. The report claimed that the civic centre could

grow as needs are established.

Arthur Swift - Landscaping 3.7


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The Walled Garden at the top of the Ravine south of police HQ

Landscaping was considered in the Swift report under paragraph 3.7 saying there was a case for

preserving the best trees and clearing away much of the undergrowth but without completely

destroying the shelter provided at present.

There is a natural site in the ravine for an amphitheatre possibly with bandstand or perhaps for an

arboretum.

At all events the various pools could form the basis for a water garden and the "Roman Bath" spring

could be developed into an attractive feature. The pools could be used for balancing the surface water

drainage system and the existing walled garden as a feature garden to take advantage of the sheltered

space it encloses. It is hoped with proper plans will maintain the garden, parkland and open space


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retained will provide a visual asset to the town and pleasant walks between the civic and commercial

areas.

Arthur Swift April 1967

The Civic Centre proposal (2) Police HQ (3) Law Court (4) Fire Station (5) Museum & Art Gallery (6

)Municipal Offices (8) Conference Centre (9) Hall

Council Departments

The following details from the Swift report give an idea of the size of different departments.


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Civic Suite of 20,000 sq ft with council chamber & public gallery,mayoral & members suite & committee

rooms.

Town Clerk 16,000 sq ft

Borough Treasurer 16,000 sq ft

Engineers 16,000 sq ft

Medical Officer 16,000 sq ft

Education 16,000 sq ft

Housing 16,000 sq ft

Weights & Measures 16,000 sq ft

Civil Defence 16,000 sq ft

Museum & Art Gallery 25,000 sq ft Displays, lecture rooms,cloakroom,storeage all part of a cultural

centre.

Large Hall 15,000 sq ft 1000 persons for exhibitions,boxing, music,theatre,dancing,public meetings.

Small Hall 500 sq ft 500 persons

Other facilities proposed for the Summerfields area were Health & Welfare services and a Central Youth

Centre at the north of the site where the YMCA is situated.

With the museum being relocated from Johns Place to Summerfields it would have been possible to use

the museum site to provide additional building space for the Royal East Sussex Hospital.

Another aspiration of Hastings Borough Council was for a conference centre. The hope was that it

would "bring in out of season visitors to the town, but at present there is not the necessary suitable

hotel accommodation for larger conferences than those housed at the White Rock Pavilion. This situation

could improve and provision for a future conference centre has been allowed for." It is likely that this

remains a long term aspiration of HBC and with the precedent of land swaps with the Foreshore Trust

firmly established any new conference centre will not have delegates staying up in the hills but they will

be able to step out of their hotel and walk along the beach to the conference.

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Aisha Civic Center