THE VALUE OF THE CITY SQUAREANTONIA FRONDELLA

ANTONIA FRONDELLATHE VALUE OF THE CITY SQUAREBA (HONS) ARCHITECTURELEEDS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY2011

CONTENTS PAGE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: THE PUBLIC SQUARE AN URBAN PLANNING TOOL

CHAPTER TWO: PIAZZA DEL CAMPIDOGLIO

CHAPTER THREE: POTSDAMMERPLATZ

CHAPTER FOUR: ROCKEFELLA CENTRE

CHAPTER FIVE: MILLENIUM SQUARE

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Fig.1: Leonardo DaVinci, Plan of ImolaFig 2: Gobekli Temple, TurkeyFig 3: Malia Prehistoric Settlement, CreteFig 4: Campus Martius, RomeFig 5: Athenian Agora, Athens. Fig 6: The Theatre Shoreditch, LondonFig 7: The Bath Assembly Rooms, BathFig 8: A multiple perspective drawing showing Piazza Del

Campidoglio, Rome. Fig 9: Piazza Del Campidoglio, RomeFig 10: Painting of the Piazza Del Campidoglio by Bernardo BellotFig 11: Piazza Del Campidoglio pavingFig 12: Own DrawingsFig 13: Photograph showing the star shaped PotsdamerPlatzFig 14: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatzFig 15: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz, 1945Fig 16: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatzFig 17: Photograph of Renzo Pianos Master PlanFig 18: Photograph of Renzo Pianos Master PlanFig 19: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz 2010Fig 20: Own DrawingsFig 21: Drawing of Rockefeller Centre by John Wenrich,1932Fig 22: Photograph of the Chanel GardensFig 23: Rockefeller’s annual Ice Skating RinkFig 24: Own DrawingsFig 25: . Millennium Square Christmas MarketFig 26: Millennium Square Ice rinkFig 27: . Millennium Square at Light NightFig 28: Own DrawingsFig 29: Own Drawings

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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I would like to thank my tutor Tony Rees for all his support and expertise. I attended

the lecture ‘City. Street. Seat’ by Neil Swanson and Martin Stockley to gain a deeper

understanding about the subject. I have visited Rome, Berlin and New York and have

gained an in depth and personal experience of these city squares.

I would also like to thank my tutors Simon Warren and Des Fagan for organising the trip

to Berlin and for their knowledge and enthusiasm during the trip.

PREFACE

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At their very best, public squares are the epitome of city and urban life. Offering peace,

ceremony, celebration and repose. Created for human interaction they are the place for

worship and community. They are a reflection of a cities character.

Within this study I aim to establish the true heritage of the public square and how over the

centuries it has adapted to modern day. I intend to analyse several urban squares and study

the spaces within, compare them to each other and state what makes a successful public

square. How they affect to urban life, the symbolic meaning and the phenomenology. I will

also analyse unsuccessful squares, and understand what factors need to be undertaken to

make the public square the ultimate space.

In this study, a variety of city squares will be examined. The squares selected demonstrate

different ways spaces can be contained and manipulated and investigating the successful

squares and the unsuccessful. The cities are Rome, Berlin, New York and Leeds.

Furthermore I aim to establish a conclusion of the urban square as an urban planning tool,

the importance it is to have a square with in a city. And the value and influence it has on

human and urban life.

INTRODUCTION: THE PUBLIC SQUARE

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The public square, a large open space within a city or town has always been an important

factor in urban planning, intentionally designed for human activity. The square serves as a

social hub for politics, art and religious events. Throughout antiquity the same tools have been

applied from the earliest urban formations around six thousand years ago to modern day cities.

The urban square has always had the same role. At first these large open spaces were founded

at crossroads within the cities where traders could meet along their routes and exchange goods

and also where political rulers could exercise their leadership in the form of large debates,

parades and processions.

Fig.1: Leonardo DaVinci, Plan of Imola.

‘ Does it take your breath away as you enter, and lift your spirits as you stroll around? Is it a place in which

you want to meet your friends and observe strangers? Is it the first choice for

Community celebrations? Does it offer a sense of place, a feeling of historical continuity, a vision of what

urban life should be? Is it maintained with respect or vandalized; does it serve as an oasis or for parking? ‘ (1)

Public squares boast many architectural qualities’, these qualities are intentional to sharpen our

experiences as we enter the space and move around it. The square will have a threshold, a few

entrances some that are visible and some which need to be discovered. The best squares use light

as a key emotional device; light and shadow create rhythms with in the square that will change

depending on the time of day and the time of year. Scale is an important factor; the scale of the

square compared to the scale of the surrounding buildings determines whether it is an intimate

space or a large tourist attraction. These qualities are what make being in the public space a

pleasurable experience. The urban square is a distillation of the cities character, the rhythm

moves, synchronizing with the people who live with it and the programs of the day. ‘ The stillness

of dawn, disturbed only by the pigeons fidgeting for a foothold on the ledges, is broken by the

clean up crew with its mechanized sweeper, the clang of garbage bins and the clatter of bottles

and barrels as trucks replenish restaurants and bars’ (2)

Furthermore the public square can be seen as the heart of the city which captures all of the

historic happenings the city has encountered. It is the place of importance; major places of

worship are placed there, often statues or monuments to celebrate great rulers. Markets, courts

and royal buildings were also placed within the city square to signify their importance.

These qualities of the urban square will help categorise each square from antiquity to the

modern square and will highlight the depth and complexity of the square and how it responds to

different programmes of each city.

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THE PUBLIC SQUARE AN URBAN PLANNING TOOL

Public squares have always been the heart of any town or city, created at the very

beginning to house markets, trading, religious and political events. Over the years the city

square has received brutal times during wars and conflicts which change their shape and their

uses. In modern day life, the urban square is a place to meet friends, view art exhibitions, and

dine out in or simply just to watch the world go by. Humans are social creatures and we need

contact with others in our day to day lives. Modern day culture and regeneration of cities do

not allow for these essential public realms, focused on controlling systems that constrain the

possibilities for variety in public spaces.

Public realms allow for ‘ normal’ behaviour to take place, where children can play freely, to

eat, drink , dance or sun bathe, to watch a music festival and view an art exhibition.

‘A public square should open up the city, invite people in and include them into different

activities offering diversity and interest and hold no restrictions ’.(3) In modern culture people

respond to spaces depending on the scale. A performance artist will not feel comfortable in a

space too large; some spaces need to be intimate which enables mingling with strangers and

socialisation on a more personal level. The quality of the space holds an important role into

making a successful public space; people choose to spend time there for their optional

recreation and are not forced. The qualities can be held in materials, light and activity. Public

squares should allow normal behaviour to happen, offer interaction and interest ensuring that

the pedestrian is king.

CHAPTER ONE:

CHAPTER TWO: PIAZZA DEL CAMPIDOGLIO, ROME. ITALY

The Piazza Campidoglio sits on the top of Capitoline Hill, in Rome it was designed by the architect,

painter and sculpture Michelangelo. The Piazza was political rather than religious and emotional as

Michelangelo’s work is usually known for. The piazza took over a hundred years to complete and

consists of extraordinary architectural qualities that make this piazza arguably the most successful

public space achieved. Piazza Del Campidoglio was a commission from Paul III, Michelangelo was to

create an honourable setting for the Emperor Charles V.

Michelangelo created an original design, which manipulated the topography and the existing

buildings. The piazza was to be a stage for commemoration and to have a symbolic and visual link to the

Forum ruins below. The existing buildings occupying the site before the piazza took shape were a

medieval sanctuary and a fortress. Following the footprints of the existing buildings the piazza took a

trapezoid shape.

8Fig 8. A multiple perspective drawing showing Piazza Del Campidoglio

Michelangelo wanted to create order with in the space, a sense of

organisation. This was achieved by dividing the site longitudinally as this

produced a sense of space. This square is not static and enclosed; the

Campidoglio requires movement and only reveals itself through discovery.

The staircase, Cordonata Steps, leading up to the piazza is an ordering

device. The steps are widespread and shallow, they draw the viewers eye on

and up into the piazza. The access into the space by the Cordonata steps

represents the hierarchy of the space and buildings within, a sense of

importance as your vista concentrates on the tower of the Roman Senate.

The first stages of the piazza were the staircase, a fountain and the senate

was reconstructed with a tower.

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Fig 9: Photograph looking into the Campidoglio from the ramp that leads down past the Senate.

The site has two contrasting staircases; one of them being Michelangelo’s

Cordonata steps that lead you to the piazza, the other staircase takes you to the

Santa Maria Aracoeli: meaning St. Mary of the Alter of Heaven. The two staircases

contrast in design, the Aracoeli steps are steep treads which ‘represent the

medieval concept of life as a weary pilgrimage, leading ultimately to heaven.’(4) The

widespread and the shallowness of the Cordonata staircase is a physical

representative of a mounted Emperor.

The staircase was of great significance to urban planning, site and location and

also the intensions of the design. The two existing buildings on the site were at first

due to be demolished so Michelangelo could create his own designs, however this

did not happen. A sense of respect was shown for them and instead they were

restored with new facades.

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Fig 10 Painting of the piazza in the 18th century by the artist Bernardo Bellot to.

The geometry of the piazza is very carefully planned, and that makes being in

this space extraordinary. Michelangelo’s radical solution to the problems of the

trapezoid shaped square created by the new facades of the resorted buildings

not facing each other squarely, the two facades are framing the medieval

Aracoeli church which creates the trapezoid piazza, making the church a focal

point to the viewer. Inside the trapezoid lies an oval paving, made out of white

and black marble. Inset in the oval paving is a twelve- pointed star. This works as

a connecting device, the fragmented pattern helps to reunite the separate

buildings and creates a heart for the piazza. As you enter the square you are

urged to explore the paving and it encourages circulation. For Rome’s smallest

piazza measuring 237 feet deep by 126 to 180 feet wide (5) it is for sure the most

energetic.

Fig 11. Looking onto the 12 pointed star paving.11

The paving is also slightly domed in the centre, this is thought to be representative of

the hill it once was and to represent the importance of the buildings that circulate it.

From the centre of the star paving you have a view looking straight down the Cordonata

steps and views from the Senate looking onto the Roman Forum ruins below.

In present day the Piazza Del Campidoglio still remains a spectacle, untouched by

graffiti that has invaded other piazzas. Free from traffic; it is a social hub, attracting

tourists from around the world. It is a well used space, on Christmas day the piazza is

flooded with locals exchanging greetings before the midnight mass, in the summer

children play, artists draw and the tourists enjoy the view of the flood lit forum ruins and

visit the museums that inhabit.

The scale of the piazza is relatively small compared to the scale of the buildings that

surround it; this is done on purpose to create a more intimate quality of space, the piazza

then becomes a space of discovery and repose. The entrances to the piazza also provoke

discovery and intrigue, there are three entrances to the space. The main entrance is from

the dominating Cordonata steps which resemble a sense of hierarchy. The other two

entrances are the either site of the Senate; these connections are more discrete and

intimate in scale and offer a breath-taking reaction as you enter the space. It is a great

pleasure discovering the piazza through these entrances. The three buildings that hold

the piazza are now art and archaeology museums, one of which hold the original statue

of the Emperor Marcus Alurelius, due to air pollution it was removed from the centre of

the piazza and replaced with a replica.

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Piazza Del Campidoglio

Summer and winter light study

Volumetric study of surrounding buildings

Birdseye view of city square

Solid and Void around city square 13

Fig.12

CHAPTER THREE: POTSDAMERPLATZ, BERLIN.GERMANY

Potsdamer Platz, named after the city of Potsdam, marks the point where the

previous road from Potsdam intersects with the city wall of Berlin. Potsdamer

Platz soon became the busiest Platz in Europe, heavily populated with traffic and

businesses. Berlin’s five most famous and busiest roads make up the star shape

of the Platz, these roads are ‘ Ebertstraße, Leipziger Straße, Stresemannstraße,

Alte Potsdamer Straße and Bellevuestraße .’(6) These roads were littered with

hundreds of bars and restaurants; the largest restaurant in the world seating up

to ‘2,500 dinners’ (7), designer clothes shops , cinemas, hotels, dance halls and

wine houses; Potsdamer Platz was the centre of Berlin’s nightlife and the

wealthy.

14Fig 13: photograph showing the star shaped platz.

The Platz marks the geographical centre of Berlin, creating a real sense of

place and a heart for the city in its heyday in the 1930’s. With the major

Potsdamer Bahnoff situated close to the square, made this an extremely

lively area.

World War II saw great misery for Berlin, Potsdamer Platz was the centre

of the city and was targeted the most; the surrounding buildings and roads

were destroyed to rubble from the air raids and heavy bombing. The Nazi

government was situated close by to the Platz which made Potsdamer a

popular target. After the war the platz was not a desired destination for

the Berliners, it found itself lying on the boundaries of the British,

American and Soviet sectors and as a consequence travel, was restricted to

the platz.

Fig 14 : A demolished and empty Potsdamer Platz, 1962 15

Fig 15 . Potsdamer Platz, 1930

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The Cold war saw the Berlin Wall, which was constructed on August 13th, 1961.

Potsdamer Platz was cut in two. One half belonged to the East, the other the West. The

rubble of the destroyed bars, hotels, restaurants and dance halls were cleared and

replaced by Boarder controls and an consecutive line of defence. Potsdamer platz, once

the thriving city square of all of Europe was turned into no mans land, 600,000 empty

square metres. After 28 years of pain and torture, the Berlin Wall was brought down. On

July 21, 1990 ex- Pink Floyd member Roger Waters celebrated the end of the division

between the east and west by performing a concert. The concert was held in the empty

Potsdamer Platz, this was the start of the new life.

After the 1990’s, Potsdamer Platz was gradually becoming the popular place it once

was and had received great interest from the city government. Due to its city centre

location and the shear size of the square, the city government decided to split the platz

into four, and sell it to a commercial investor, and new plans for the platz continued. At

the time of construction, Potsdamer Platz was the ‘largest construction site in Europe’.(8)

Now present day Potsdamer Platz has little similarities to its pre-war appearance.

Sections were sold off to commercial investors including Sony and Daimler- Chrysler.

Renzo Piano created a new master plan for the area.

17Fig 16 . Potsdamer Platz, 1945 Fig 17. Renzo Piano’s new master plan for the

Potsdamer Platz

Fig 18. Master plan of Potsdamer PlatzBy Renzo Piano

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Renzo Piano had a large contribution to the new master plan of the platz; other architects

involved were local Berlin architects Hans Kollhoff and Helmut Jahn and Richard Rogers.

The new master plan models itself on the original Potsdamer Platz layout; the idea of constructing

new buildings on top of the original footprints would create a historical link to the past and the

present. Sections of the Berlin wall have also been kept and placed at points along where the wall

would have ran, this acts as a memorial and a remembrance of the tragedies that occurred in the

square. The new buildings that have been built here are a 40 screen cinema complex, a film museum,

a film academy, Sony headquarters of Europe, prestigious law firms, hotels, restaurants and shops.

The new modelling of the platz has recreated the world famous square, Potsdamer Platz is again

known world wide for housing superior buildings that are considered to be the finest examples of

modern architecture in Berlin. Potsdamer Platz attracts over ‘70,000 visitors a day’ (9); the square is

busy nearly all times of the day. Parts of the platz are green areas with planting, introducing green

space into the city and every winter the ChriskindlMarkt is held in the platz.

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Fig 19. Potsdamer Platz, 2011

The Potsdamer Platz is once again a thriving and social centre for Berlin, that although

appears to have no connection to its previous self, it is the small subtleties that hold the

history. It is again a place for human activity, learning and community.

The square has a symbolic meaning, situated at the cross roads of the East and West side of

the city, the platz acts as a connection between them both, it is a linking element that

reconnects the two sides. This is done by attracting Berliners from both sides to visit the

area, whether that being the shops, restaurants or the green spaces. The platz does not

forget its history but tries to cover the wounds and re-establish Berlin as a great city.

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PotsdamerPlatz

Summer and Winter light study

Volumetric study of surrounding buildings

Birdseye view of city square

Solid and Void around city square21

Fig: 20

CHAPTER FOUR: ROCKEFELLER CENTRE, NEW YORK

The Rockefeller Plaza is viewed as the symbolic heart of New York(10), situated

in midtown Manhattan is sits within a complex of nineteen commercial buildings.

The plaza serves as an urban oasis in this mass concrete jungle, it is only then

when you are within in the plaza you can appreciate the dramatic scale of the

complex and New York. The complex covers ‘89,000 square meters and lies

between 48th and 51st Manhattan’(11). The complex consists of two large theatres,

luxury shops and restaurants. The centre piece is the RCA building, 872 foot high

art deco tower, used as studios for American television, offices, museum,

restaurants and hotels. ‘ New York would seem incomplete without Rockefeller

Centre. It’s sunken plaza is a must see on every visitor’s list’.(12)

John D. Rockefeller originally intended to build an Opera House on the site

with a public square; he envisioned this would be the prestigious centre piece

New York was waiting for. However this commercial development soon came to

an end due to the stock market crash of 1929. Money was limited and so the

opera board detached themselves from the project. Rockefeller had two choices,

to put an abrupt end to the new commercial development or to create an

environment that aimed to attract and lure the extremely wealthy people, who

had not been affected by the crash, in. His gamble paid off and there was to be a

new complex in Manhattan, Rockefeller was the sole financial provider and the

project began to take shape.

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Fig 21. John Wenrich’s 1932drawing of Rockefeller Centre

As the project took shape so did the plaza, once to be the public square of the theatre,

was developing along with the project. The shape changed from oval; to square as it

purposes were adjusting. The plaza became sunken, to emphasise the sleek, slender RCA

tower. This new sunken plaza became the new entrance to the underground shopping

arcades. The complex was designed to entice shoppers from streets to come into and

explore the wonders and extravagance of what Rockefeller Centre had to offer. Enticing

methods included the Channel Gardens(fig 20), creating a pleasant green walkway into the

sunken plaza, the idea that this guides the pedestrian into the complex, a completely

different typography to the then scruffy sidewalks. The 19 buildings also acts as a luring

method, The RCA building takes dominance, accentuated by the lower surrounding

buildings and the gardens, which staggered in sizes gradually becoming lower. This

creates a visual walk way and does not suppress the pedestrian.

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Fig 22. The Channel Gardens

With the many attractions taking place on ground level, the sunken plaza

became an unused space. An ice rink(fig 23) was placed in the plaza in the

Christmas of 1936; this became an enormous attraction and has taken place

every Christmas since. The plaza has always been seen as a public theatre,

rather than a square. It is a different type to the Piazza Del Campidoglio in Rome

and the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, it was never intended to serve as a public

realm. It has adapted and adjusted to modern day life, changing with the

people and the pace of New York.

Fig 23: Rockefeller’s annual Ice Skating Rink

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The plaza is now a frequently used space, a release in the ordered New York grid

system; it offers interaction to the highest quality. It hosts a year round series of events,

offering ‘ice skating in winter, art exhibitions, plays, boxing matches, concerts and

parades and acts as an alfresco dining hall in the summer’(13). The spectacular tree is

erected here to mark the arrival of Christmas in Manhattan .The square is of a small scale

compared to the buildings that surround it, given the plot- height ratio one should feel

compressed within the space, and from above it suggests the space is intimate, 70 storey

buildings surrounding it, it is almost a courtyard. However the buildings surrounding it,

lowering in height to the east acting as the enticing method also create setbacks, ‘allowing

sunlight to flood the entire plaza at midday’(14), as well as easterly winds that set the flags

slapping. Rockefeller Centre is an example of successful urban design; the success is due

to having the user’s needs in mind when designing.

The plaza also acts as a connecting tool, connecting all the surrounding buildings

together and forms one large entrance, for commuters, workers, people interacting

within the square that leads them to their next destination. The entrances of the

surrounding buildings open up onto the plaza; it has changed from being a connection

device for consumers to a destination, for consumers, pedestrians and tourists.

The Rockefeller plaza proves the fact that good public spaces do not have to be large, if

they are well designed and attract interaction.

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Rockefeller Plaza

Summer and Winter light study

Volumetric study of surrounding buildings

Birdseye view of city square

Solid and Void around city square26

Fig: 24

CHAPTER FIVE: MILLENNIUM SQUARE, LEEDS

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Millennium square in Leeds is an example of a modern day urban realm, built for the year 2000 it

was to resemble the new millennium. The square has become a focal point for events in Leeds,

hosting a wide variety of activities including ‘music concerts, theatre performances, civic ceremonies

and markets’(15). The site is surrounded by the some of the most iconic buildings in Leeds, the Town

Hall, Leeds City Museum, Leeds College of art, the Civic Hall and Leeds Infirmary. It is also bordered by

many restaurants and bars that draw in the crowds. The square has a program of annual events; once

a year in November and December the site is occupied with a German Christmas Market which is

extremely popular, selling jewellery, food and drinks and handmade textiles. This market draws the

largest amount of people into the square. A temporary ice rink is also constructed in the space

throughout the winter months.

Fig 25. Leeds Christmas MarketFig 26: Millennium Square Ice rink

Leeds hosts a range of civic celebrations and festivals which inhabit Millennium

square; Leeds Gay Pride which is held on the first Sunday of August has been running

since 2006 is held in the square. ‘The parade starts in Millennium square where music

concerts and speeches take place and attracts over 17,000 people.’(16) Leeds Light Night

is an annual event that celebrates art and design within Leeds, art exhibitions are

installed around the city, especially in the square, and this event is when the square

boasts its qualities, people swarming around the space interacting with one another

and the art exhibitions.

The summer months are when the space truly comes to life, tables and chairs from the

surrounding bars and restaurants spill out into the square, people drinking and dining

out in the summer evenings and clusters of people socialising. A giant media screen

looks over the square and serves as a provider for ,international events and news

including the Wimbledon tournament, football tournaments, Live 8 and opera

performances’(17) These are broadcasted into the square to inform to users, creating

communal engagement and sharing experiencing celebration and remembrance.

These annual events are what make Millennium Square a success, it is only when

these celebrations where the square gets a real sense of quality. Without them, on the

days where nothing is scheduled the square has a lonely atmosphere, used as short cuts

for students and commuters as they travel to their destination. Without a programmed

schedule it is an empty unused space.

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Fig 27. Millennium Square at Light Night., Own Photo.2010

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Millennium Square

Summer and Winter light study

Volumetric study of surrounding buildings

Birdseye view of city square

Solid and Void around city square 30

Fig 28

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION

The form of city squares in antiquity reflected the religious aspects of urban planning, they

symbolised the wealth and social culture of each city that conceived it. It could be suggested

that the public space was initially a tool for urban development, a place for trading goods and

political precessions. Modern culture has shaped these squares into spaces for human

interaction and interest to enrich the lives of the people who live within it. However, due to the

redevelopment of cities today streets and parks are becoming increasingly private domains and

controlled environments with public restrictions. We need cities that allow pedestrians to have

a rich range of interaction and to allow for ‘normal’ to happen. Human behaviour on

interaction is an important element into designing a successful public realm, spaces must have

interest whether that being in the buildings that surround the space: cafes, bars, art galleries

and museums, the quality of the space; lighting and size and also what holds people there.

Many public squares use annual programmes such as markets, ice skating rinks and temporary

art exhibitions. Today people will choose to spend time for ‘optional recreation therefore will

only stay longer in a place where quality is high.’ ( 18)

Modern culture has presented us with new types of public spaces; the internet and

telephone have introduced new methods of interaction. The internet is expanding with social

networking sites which enable people to have a connection with everyone in the world; internet

interaction ‘has made it possible to replace active participation in spontaneous local social

activities with a drive to see selected friends and attractions’(19) The online public space is

expanding whilst the real world public space is shrinking.

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In the gallery of city squares (fig 29), it is possible to compare each square discussed

and conclude the most successful square through the urban experience they create.

The comparative drawings highlight issues involving, sunlight, volumetric issues, solid

and void within the area and the distribution of open public space. It is reasonable to

suggest, that those city squares do not disorientate and alienate individuals, whilst

having plentiful sunlight permeate the space are the most successful instances of the

city square. Cities which feature city blocks and high rise buildings which still provide

easy navigation and create a level of urbanity, whilst not disengaging with the urban

landscape are too, profoundly successful.

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For me, New York's Rockefeller Plaza achieves all of these aspects. This jewel like square is a

pleasant surprise as you discover it. The grand Chanel gardens opening up the space acts as

welcoming arms into the space, personally I feel Rockefeller plaza signify’s the wealth richness of

New York. What I find interesting is how the square has evolved from its original purpose, initially

designed as the entrance square for an opera theatre has now adapted to suit the needs of the

people and buildings in which inhabit it. The plaza breaks up the rigid, continuous blocked city

grid and serves as an oasis. The space supplies interaction for all, commuters and shoppers use it

as a connecting device to nearby buildings and blocks but it is the round year program of events

that take place that keep this space alive with activity. Rockefeller proves that a city square does

not have to be large in scale to achieve maximum enjoyment, and that more intimate spaces that

allow a more personal interaction with interest are, for me, the most successful squares. Another

aspect of this plaza that I find remarkable is the light study. For a small space with buildings

towering over it from all angles one would assume this would be a dark place to inhabit. When

designing the space, the architects purposely gradually lowered the buildings to the east to allow

full sun penetration at midday; this is a spectacle and adds to the jewel like qualities. The plaza is

a success in creating a rich urban experience within the city from a pedestrian perspective.

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My least desired square within this research and personal experience is

PotsdamerPlatz in Berlin, once a thriving social and traffic hub of Europe is now a large

estate of commercial buildings, aimed to attract people for advertising and money. I

feel that the new platz is almost trying to compete with what once was there, but in

turn it demolishes any recognition and resemblance to the original form. Personally I

prefer city squares to have character, to reflect the cities ambiance and culture, I feel

that PotsdamerPlatz does not reflect the rich history of Berlin and acts more of a

tourist attraction than offering a place for the local people. Comparing medieval public

squares to the modern day squares realises how the architectural qualities shown in

the old are less present in the new. Ancient public spaces were aimed specifically for

human socialisation, acting as the cities living room, some modern squares have

inherited the same qualities, taking into account the user and uses, with this in mind I

feel Millennium Square in Leeds achieves most of the aspects. The square comes to life

during the markets, the ice rink and in the summer. However I do feel that the main

reasoning for the space being barren the rest of the time is due to it positioning within

the city, people are not forced to be in the square which enables human interaction.

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To conclude I strongly agree that having public spaces within our cities enhance and add

value to our day - to – day lives. For me the square is my favourite place in the city, a

successful square unites the city, creating connections and relationships. Through my

findings I have found the public space through antiquity interesting, how methods of

creating these valuable space have changed over time. I feel we need to bring back

methods of Michelangelo and create spaces that boast extraordinary experiences.

‘ The design principles that support outdoor stationary activities at the residential level are

applicable to a great number of other building arrangements and urban functions.

Everywhere people walk to and from the city functions, or where the functions within a

building can profit from opportunities to stay outdoors, the establishment of good

connections between indoors and outdoors combined with good resting places in front of

the buildings must be a matter of course. Such an extension of opportunities for outdoor

stays exactly where everyday activities take place will almost without exception be a

valuable contribution to a given function to life, between buildings in the building project, in

the neighbourhood, and in the city.’ (20)

36

REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

(1) Michael Webb, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990, pg. 12.

(2) Ibid

CHAPTER ONE

(3) Neil Swanson, City, Street, Seat Lecture , Leeds Metropolitan University. 2011.

CHAPTER TWO

(4) Michael Webb, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990, pg. 131

(5) Ibid pg. 133

CHAPTER THREE

(6) http://www.potsdamer-platz.net/index_english.php

(7) Ibid

(8) Mark R. McGee, Berlin 1925-1946-2000, 2000, Nicolai'sche Verlag

(9) Ibid

37

CHAPTER FOUR

(10) Michael Webb, The City Square. Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990 Pg. 174

(11) http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/87002591.pdf

(12) Michael Webb, The City Square. Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990 Pg. 173

(13) Ibid

(14) http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/87002591.pdf

CHAPTER FIVE

(15) http://www.leeds.gov.uk/

(16) http://www.leedspride.com/

(17) http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/leeds/millenium-square

CHAPTER SIX - CONCLUSION

(18) Jan Gehl , Life Between Buildings Using Public Space, The Danish Architectural Press 2001. Pg. 175

(19) Ibid. Pg. 51

(20) Ibid. Pg 199

38

BIBLIOGRAPHY : BOOKS

39

Gehl Jan, Life Between Buildings Using Public Space The Danish Architectural Press 2001Webb Michael, The City Square Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990Whyte Iane B, Modernism and the Spirit of the City Routledge 2003Mumford Lewis, The City in History: Its Origins, Its Transformation and Its Prospects , New York :MUF 1961/1989Castagnoli Ferdinando, Castagnoli , Orthogonal Town Planning in Antiquity . MIT press, Cambridge 1971Smith Peter F, The Dynamics of Urbanism , Nelson Thorne's Ltd, 1975Rowe Ian I, Guidance on designing for crowds : an integrated approach. London : CIRIA, 2008. Asensio Cerver, Francisco, City squares and plazas New York : Hearst Books, 1999. Gehl, Jan. New city spaces Copenhagen ; Danish Architectural Press, 2001.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

40

Fig.1: Leonardo DaVinci, Plan of Imola John A Pinto, ‘ Origins and Development of the Ichnographic City Plan’ in journal of ‘ The Society of Architectural Historians’ Vol . 35 , No. 1 1976Fig 2: Gobekli Temple, Turkey http://www.missfidget.com/2010/03/16/worlds-oldest-temple-discovered-in-turkey/Fig 3: Malia Prehistoric Settlement, Crete http://www.travel-to-crete.com/place.php?place_id=27Fig 4: Campus Martius, Rome http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Campus_Martius.jpgFig 5: Athenian Agora, Athens. http://www.greeklandscapes.com/greece/athens_agora.html Fig 6: The Theatre Shoreditch, London http://elicruells.blogspot.com/2009/11/first-proper-theater-as-we-know-it-was.htmlFig 7: The Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-bathassemblyroomsFig 8: A multiple perspective drawing showing Piazza Del

Campidoglio, Rome. Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 9: Piazza Del Campidoglio, Rome Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 10: Painting of the Piazza Del Campidoglio by Bernardo Bellot Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 11: Piazza Del Campidoglio paving Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 12: Own DrawingsFig 13: Photograph showing the star shaped PotsdamerPlatz http://www.potsdamerplatz.de/en/history/the-twenties/Fig 14: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz http://courses.umass.edu/latour/Germany/noverstrom/index.htmlFig 15: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz, 1945 http://www.lsg.musin.de/geschichte/Material/referate/lkg/berlin/potsdamer_platz_bis_1945.htmFig 16: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz http://www.essential-architecture.com/G-BER/BER-016.htmFig 17: Photograph of Renzo Pianos Master Plan http://www.archsociety.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?1291Fig 18: Photograph of Renzo Pianos Master Plan http://www.archsociety.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?1291Fig 19: Photograph of PotsdamerPlatz 2010 Own PhotoFig 20: Own DrawingsFig 21: Drawing of Rockefeller Centre by John Wenrich,1932 Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 22: Photograph of the Chanel Gardens http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Channel_gardens_rockefeller_center_NYC.jpgFig 23: Rockefeller’s annual Ice Skating Rink Webb Michael, The City Square, Thames and Hudson Ltd 1990. Fig 24: Own DrawingsFig 25: . Millennium Square Christmas Market http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=2590258Fig 26: Millennium Square Ice rink http://www.yorkshiredailyphoto.com/2009/02/ice-skating-in-millenium-square-leeds.htmlFig 27: . Millennium Square at Light Night own photograph taken at Light Night 2010.Fig 28: Own DrawingsFig 29: Own Drawings