Building Frontages
Paul Dodd &
Rachel Jones
THE GOOD PLACE
Place Characteristics
• complementary mix of uses and activities
• fit for purpose, accommodating uses well
• encourage easy movement
• create high quality public realm
• adaptable to change
• be efficient in the way land and resources are used
• appealing appearance
• distinct identity and sense of place
Development Form
The physical elements that together create a building or place
• Layout
• Scale
• Density
• Materials
• Detail
• create high quality public realm
• create high quality public realm
So what is an active frontage?
2018 - Paradox of safety and fear: security in public space
Issues of fear, citizenship and trust
Place-value-wiki
The ladder of place qualities
Encourage human interaction through careful design of
open space, neighbourhood streets and buildings
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
Encourage human interaction through careful design of
open space, neighbourhood streets and buildings
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
Encourage human interaction – Clapham Old Town
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
if a place is perceived to be unsafe, it
will have little chance of success in
connecting people and creating
communities.
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
perceptions of neighbourhood
characteristics are just as instrumental
in shaping behaviour as any objective
measure of built form
perceptions of neighbourhood
characteristics are just as instrumental
in shaping behaviour as any objective
measure of built form
Place Value wiki – evidence 1 - Connecting and strengthening communities
plot size, mix of uses & building typologies Waltham Forest Mini Holland - East Ave, Orford Rd
Place Value wiki – evidence 2 - Sociability of the street interface
Consider plot size, mix of uses & building typologies Clapham Old Town
Place Value wiki – evidence 2 - Sociability of the street interface
Place-value-wiki – evidence 3 - Older People and social support
Reference:
Brown, S., Mason, C., Perrino, T., Lombard, J., Martinez, F., Plater-Zyberk, E., Spokane, A. & Szapocznik, J.
(2008). Built environment and physical functioning in Hispanic elders: the role of "eyes on the street"
Place Value wiki – evidence 4 - Emotional responses to the build environment
Overwhelmingly positive feelings
were associated with spaces or
scenes in which the natural world
was present in some form
Place Value wiki – evidence 4 - Emotional responses to the build environment
Areas that are verdant and cared for,
offer natural views and show signs of
children’s play received the most
positive ratings
Areas featuring buildings perceived to be
ugly or that are otherwise dirty, unkempt,
uncared for, neglected, or abandoned
received the most negative ratings
Place Value wiki – evidence 4 - Emotional responses to the build environment
Imagery ©2014 BlueSky, DigitalGlobe, Sanborn; Map data: ©2014 Google
An experiment to discover the
neurological and physiological effects
of active vs inactive street edges
Marten Sims thehappycity.com
Imagery ©2014 BlueSky, DigitalGlobe, Sanborn; Map data: ©2014 Google
No seating > Keep people moving
No options > Discourage exploration
No door handles > Trapped and cornered
Seats > Places to stop, rest and gather
Lots of options + details > Food, drinks, ice cream, wifi!
Door handles > Can retreat if uncomfortable
Active edges
Seats
Options + details
Door handles
Greenery
Shelter
Inactive edges
No Seats
No options or details
No door handles
Lack of greenery
Lack of shelter
Paul Dodd
street frontages
Workshop
South Gardens, Elephant Park
Play
Design for Homes
Elephant Park film
Place-value-wiki
research evidence 4: Emotional responses to the build environment
Key findings People’s shared feelings about specific places are influenced by the particular physical properties and
characteristics of a given place
· Areas that are verdant and cared for, offer natural views and show signs of children’s play received the
most positive ratings
· Overwhelmingly positive feelings were associated with spaces or scenes in which the natural world
was present in some form but hung in balance with the built environment
· Areas featuring buildings perceived to be ugly or that are otherwise dirty, unkempt, uncared for,
neglected, or abandoned received the most negative ratings
Reference:
Rosenburg Weinreb, A, & Rofè, Y (2013) Mapping Feeling: An Approach to the Study of Emotional
Response to Built Environment and Landscape