Toronto Papers
Shared Space – Safe Space: Meeting the requirements of blind and partially sighted people in a shared space
Carol Thomas, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association UK (Author), Clive Wood, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association UK (Presenter)
Summary: The Shared Space concept is increasingly being promoted across the world. Guide Dogs welcomes some of the aims of this concept, in particular the idea of more pedestrian friendly environments where the dominance of the motor vehicle is reduced, if not eliminated, and street clutter minimised. However, we are concerned that proponents of this concept have not taken cognisance of the needs of blind and partially sighted people when developing their ideas. Shared space streetscapes are normally implemented by means of shared surfaces where the traditional cues – kerbs, tactile paving surfaces and controlled crossings – are removed to be replaced with environments where there is no vertical or other detectable means of delineating pedestrian and vehicle areas. Street users are intended to negotiate priority and movement through the use of ‘eye contact’, with obvious implications for blind and partially sighted people. Guide Dogs research has established that shared surface streets affect the safety, confidence and independence of blind and partially sighted people, and are also of concern to other disabled people. Our research also shows that visually impaired people are not being involved in the development of new schemes nor are they consulted effectively. Guide Dogs has worked with international designers from the Ramboll Nyvig and Jan Gehl practices in Denmark to explore how the benefits of the shared space concept could include the requirements of blind and partially sighted people by including a ‘safe space’ within a shared space design. We are currently working with University College London to analyse the results of design trials involving blind and partially sighted people and people with mobility impairments. This research will form the basis for guidance for local authorities and practitioners. ... More
Shared Space: Safe or Dangerous? A contribution to objectification of a popular design philosophy.
Drs. Rob Methorst Centre for Transport and Navigation et al
Summary: Shared Space is a compelling concept, there is no doubt about that. The main return from the projects is a substantial improvement of spatial quality. Shared Space is a reaction to the ugliness that resulted from an exaggerated problem solving oriented approach of traffic and transport engineering. All showcases relate to situations where the road has both a sojourn and a traffic function and where it proved to be impossible to limit the quantity of car traffic. Here Shared Space offers a compromise, but the toll is paid by pedestrians and bicyclists. There appears to be a large discrepancy between the theoretical philosophy of Shared space and its actual practise. Due to participation of the population and commercial interests in practise the principle of sharing space is – fortunately – not implemented so rigorously as the concept name suggests. Thus compensation is offered for the weak points in the vision, caused by flaws in the assumptions made. In general one can conclude that in all show cases objective traffic safety indeed has improved. With regard to road safety Shared Space is favourable compared to the old situation, but probably a Sustainable Safety principles based design, also taking into account spatial quality, can produce even better results. There are a number of questions that need to be dealt with, namely: • Improvement by creating danger? • Can the approach be implemented successfully on traffic arteries? What about the barrier effects? • Can the approach be implemented in metropoles, where traffic is more hectic and social relations more anonymous? ... More
Spatial Metro: Strategies to Improve City Centres for Pedestrians
Stefan Christiaan van der Spek– Architect MSc PhD, Assistant professor Urban Design, Delft University of Technology
Summary: The Spatial Metro project brings together a transnational group of partners enabling them to co-operate in order to improve city centres for pedestrians - Discovering the City on Foot. The project is receiving European Regional Development Funding through the INTERREG III/B Community Initiative. A group of ten organizations participate in Spatial Metro: The lead city of Norwich (UK) and the cities of Rouen (F), Koblenz (D), Bristol (UK), Biel/Bienne (CH); Academics at: University of East Anglia (UK), Delft University of Technology (NL), University of Koblenz (D)and the Swiss Pedestrian Association. The main role of the Chair of Urban Design at TU Delft is to evaluate visitor experience and to observe use of space before and after Spatial Metro interventions. Aim and Methodology The cities invest in different ways to improve quality for pedestrians. Central issue in Norwich is the design of so called stations, the main locations in the pedestrian network. Two squares will be redeveloped. In Bristol a new type of information system has been developed and delivered. In Rouen central issue of design is a light plan to guide people at night and improve safety and orientation of pedestrians. In Koblenz a part of the pedestrian network will be redeveloped based on a design competition, but also a BlueTooth based information network will be developed. In Biel/Bienne ideas of the so called ‘Shared Space’ principle have been brought into practice. Finally, all cities will develop a new type of metro-style map for pedestrians and introduce environmentally friendly transport methods. Results The exchange of knowledge of investments in different fields to improve city centres for pedestrians makes the project very interesting. From the point of view of urbanism the value of this approach is the combination of those fields of knowledge in relation to the available pedestrian network. Main conclusion Main focus of the paper will be the explanation and exploration of the different types of investments done by the cities. ... More
Street Food: What a City Could Taste Like
Katie Rabinowicz et al. Multistory Complex
Summary: Sidewalks provided a platform for many uses including socializing, vending, and political activity. A lack of regulations dictating the function of sidewalks and how, where and what food could be sold facilitated vibrant street life and neighbourhood development. Vendors in Kensington Market in late 1800’s, for example, did not distinguish between residential and commercial and public and private space. Uses were blurred partly due to economic necessity and poor housing conditions which forced people onto their front lawns and sidewalks to conduct both personal and business activity. So why, in so many cities, is there now such a dearth of street food? Essentially, it is because street food moved indoors. Modernist planning segmented the city into specialized zones like commercial, residential, public, and private. The sidewalk, once a place for vending, socializing, and political activity, was narrowed to accommodate car-centred developments and declared off limits for anything but pedestrian circulation. This was arguably to serve fixed place businesses like new specialty shops, grocery and department stores which replaced unspecialized commercial spaces of the 17th and 18th century. These planning trends are seen in many cities, including Toronto, Melbourne and New York. Cooking and eating became private, indoor activities, and the sale of food became the domain of specialized retailers. At the same time, street vendors became more upwardly mobile, they acculturated, bought or rented stores, and moved inside. The street lost its public culinary life. ... More
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