“An electronically-operated garage door out front and a privacy fence out back afford near-total protection from those who, in former days,\u00a0would have been neighbors.”<\/p>\n
I think that separating ourselves from the outside world is in vogue. From immersing \u00a0ourselves to our systematic daily routine (and not looking out) to grabbing with our eyes any digital device screen (and reducing to a minimum our peripheral vision) we create \u201cbubbles\u201d and occupy them at all times. If that process is increasing by the minute, it means that the demand for \u201cThird Places\u201d is decreasing and of course the customer is always right.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe flaw in much of today\u2019s residential land use pattern \u2014 all space is used up and there\u2019s no provision for a community life.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think part of the flaw is a response to how our “home-to-work-and-back-again shuttle\u201d works: mainly as a car\u00a0commute. Therefore, that need was answered by\u00a0a city-grid planned around vehicles with a\u00a0very high percentage of the public property dedicated to vehicular circulation and the rest to pedestrian circulation only.<\/p>\n
If you want to get rid of\u00a0our\u00a0few\u00a0“Third Places\u201d simply do nothing or move as far away from work as possible.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, if you want them back follow what advanced societies do:<\/p>\n
“THE CITIES OF THE FUTURE ARE PEOPLE-FRIENDLY CITIES\u201d<\/strong> (http:\/\/denmark.dk\/en\/green-living\/bicycle-culture\/the-cities-of-the-future-are-people-friendly-cities\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n I think the best way to try to\u00a0rescue or create public\u00a0“Third Places\u201d might be to transform our sidewalks from\u00a0being circulation-paths to a series of bay-spaces or plazas by lowering the percentage-area that is currently assigned to cars.<\/p>\n “Third places are nothing more than informal public gathering places.”<\/p>\n The moment\u00a0“Third Places\u201d appear people will start\u00a0using them.<\/p>\n About six years ago New York City created a “Third Place\u201d in Times Square as a series of plazas that potentiated the place to become an actual square. In my opinion an excellent move. It helped near by\u00a0businesses and attracted many interesting people like “The Desnudas\u201d.<\/p>\n “The Desnudas of Times Square, Topless but for the Paint\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/08\/16\/nyregion\/the-desnudas-of-times-square-topless-but-for-the-paint.html<\/a>)<\/p>\n Unfortunately,\u00a0if you want to get rid of\u00a0our\u00a0few\u00a0“Third Places\u201d simply become one.<\/p>\n “Mayor de Blasio Raises Prospect of Removing Times Square Pedestrian Plazas”<\/strong> (http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/08\/21\/nyregion\/mayor-de-blasio-raises-prospect-of-removing-times-square-pedestrian-plazas.html<\/a>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “An electronically-operated garage door out front and a privacy fence out back afford near-total protection from those who, in former days,\u00a0would have been neighbors.” I think that separating ourselves from the outside world is in vogue. From immersing \u00a0ourselves to … Continue reading