FACILITATING INTERACTION IN PUBLIC REALM.

Amal Roshan S9 B RLASEBC035

Introduction.

Interaction is a social process involving sharing of ideas, knowledge, experiences, etc. Architecture can't force people
to connect; but it can plan the crossing points, remove barriers, and make the meeting places useful and attractive.
Although it cannot control the outcome, architecture holds the potential to set the stage for chance encounters and
social interactions, thus nurturing community building and influencing the fabric of our social culture. Neighbor bonds,
mutually rewarding associations are vital to the community.

They make it multi-dimensional and alive, self-growth and honest hence resilient. Noise, litter, children, dogs, not to
mention 'neighbors from hell' can irritate or even terrorize. but if we don't have these connections and interactions,
there is no community. However, people are the same. They'll gather in public if give them a good place to do it. This
paper examines such general factors that cater to interaction. There have been Interactive open spaces from the past,
but it has lost their value with time. Somehow urban open spaces meant for public interaction do not attract people.
Today, many public spaces seem to be intentionally designed to be looked at but not touched. They are neat, clean,
and empty- as if to say, "no people, no problem! But to us, when a public space is Empty, vandalized or chiefly by
undesirables, this is generally an indication that something is very wrong with its design, Or its management, or both.
 Research questions.
How can we improve the quality of social interaction in public realm?

Aim.
To analyze in detail the factors that urge interaction in inclusive public realm.

Purpose of the study

The need of the study is to examine how public spaces can be designed to facilitate meaningful
interactions between users, while also addressing the need for safety, accessibility, and comfort.
The study will analyze the motivations behind different interactions, the spatial and temporal
patterns of use, and the potential implications of different design features on users’ behavior. The
research will also consider how public realm design can be used to foster the sense of community
and to create opportunities for social exchange. Finally, the study will explore how the public realm
can be used to foster a sense of belonging and identity among its users.
 Objectives.

• To study and analyze the best interactive open spaces around the world through literature case studies.
• To study about different kind of public spaces.
• To analyze the materials, physical and social factors on public realm.
• To derive factors in detail that can be used to promote interactions in public realm.
Methodology.
Scope.

• Emphasizes public spaces, making primary study easy since it's accessible to all.
• The focus is on studying the factors of design that inhibit interaction in public realm rather than the need
for open public spaces.
• The study is broad-based and not intended for a specific population

Limitation.

• Difficulty in live case studies and direct observation of the users due to the absence of public realm in nearby.
• This dissertation only includes public open spaces and excludes public and open spaces inside public buildings
or private properties due to time limitations
D ATA C O L L E C T I O N &
CASE STUDY
Public open space is often referred to by urban planners and
landscape Architects by the acronym 'POS. Public open space is
defined as an open piece of land both green space or hard space to
which there is public access. The place gives the opportunity to
interact, sit alone or in groups and observe people. It is a place
where people can experience public life. According to Gehl (2003,
Cities for people). Public open space is traditionally used as a
marketplace, traffic space, performing sociocultural activities and
meeting place in balance, despite the different usage patterns of
the city. Public space is a place where people can meet and make
contact with each, exchange information, such as working
experience or economic development. In addition, a lot of vital
activities occur in public open space: the celebration of festivals,
socio-cultural activities, pageant, coronations, etc.
Types of Public Realm:

Great cities have squares or parks of every size, style, and purpose, demonstrating the varied ways in which space can
be contained and manipulated. Typically, a plaza is paved, enclosed by high density structures, and surrounded by
streets or in contact with them. It contains features meant to attract groups of people and facilitate meetings.

• Squares and plazas

• Pedestrian streets
• Streets and boulevards
• Markets
• Bridges
• Parks

Types of interactions
Great cities have squares or parks of every size, style, and purpose, demonstrating the varied ways in which space can be
contained and manipulated. Typically, a plaza is paved, enclosed by high-density structures, and surrounded by streets or in
contact with them. It contains features meant to attract groups of people and facilitate meetings.

• Necessary Activities
• Optional activities
• Social activities
The following case studies are selected considering their transformation from inactive to active place. They are analyzed
based on the following factors what degree these factors of interactions are important.

Factors encouraging interactions in public open space

Good places for interaction are places where people, often from many parts of the community or diverse backgrounds,
meet naturally and interact comfortably and often pleasurably because of the nature of attraction of the space or the
activities associated with it. For that to be the case, these spaces need four basic characteristics:

• There has to be a reason for people to go there.

• There has to be a reason for people to want to stay once they've arrived.
• People in the space have to feel safe and comfortable.
• The space has to be welcoming and accessible to everyone.

Whyte; Lennard; and Gehl Through Project for public space stated six various factors for catering interaction in Public
open space. The factors include access and linkages, uses and activities, urban elements/Amenities, visual image and
identity, maintenance and management, and microclimate. These broadly depend on three main factors - Image, feel,
and function.
Factors influencing interactions

Function Image Feel

a. Access and linkage d. Visual image g. Nature

b. Activities and destinations e. Food h. safety

c. sitting f. human scale

g. nature

Function
Access & Linkages : You can judge the accessibility of a place by its connections to its surroundings, both visual and physical. A
successful public space is easy to get to and get through; it is visible both from a distance and up close. The edges of a space are
important as well: For instance, a row of shops along a street is more interesting and generally safer to walk by than a blank wall
or empty lot. If people are going to use a particular space in any number, they have to feel that the space is intended to be used
by people like them. That means that it has to be in a place they can easily get to and that they feel welcome when they get
there. Come indications that space is, in fact, accessible and welcomes a wide variety of people Visibility and a welcoming
entrance is a key part. for instance. A garden with a high wall and narrow, gated entrance on the street side doesn't look like a
public space, whereas the same garden with a broad, open entranceway and a series of wide steps leading to it from the street
gives the opposite impression. Likewise, Ramps, paved or carefully smoothed pathways, and other accessibility features tell
individuals with disabilities that the space is meant for everyone
Activities and destination
People need to have a reason to be and stay, in a particular place. The more
activities and options a street offer, the more it attracts diverse groups of people -
which is essential for creating a place that feels vibrant and dynamic. That's the
idea behind the Power of 10 concept - those great places tend to have at least 10
things to do in them or some critical mass that attracts people and starts to create
a buzz of activity. These might include a place to sit, playgrounds to enjoy, art to
touch, music to hear, food to eat, etc.

Triangulation
Triangulation is a term coined by William. h. Whyte A great public space is more
than the sum of its parts, and triangulation is where that added value comes from.
Triangulation refers to the way that activities can be strategically located and
designed to generate additional uses. For example, a place to sit is useful, but it
generates more uses when it's facing something worth watching, and even more
uses if you can get something to eat or drink nearby too. None of these individual
uses are as effective alone. Greater triangulation opens more opportunities for
improvisations. From a crowded subway car to a park, triangulation gets kicked
into high gear when buskers enter the scene. The addition of music, dancing, or
any manner of entertainment can connect strangers and encourage
unpredictable interactions. Buskers ask for embarrassed volunteers, performers
tailor their songs to passers-by, children dance along, and strangers whisper about
something awesome or awful they just witnessed together.
Improvisation
When someone enters a public space, their first instinct is to find a place for
themselves-or to make one. The public spaces should embrace this human urge
to improvise. People want to customize their experiences and make themselves
at home in public spaces. From how people sit to how they interact with each
other, the great dance of public space is only possible with room for a dramatic
dip, or a change of styles. The most important layer of a great place is how
people use it, not the design itself, but the emergent activities, movements, and
interactions it facilitates.

Informal Activities
Improvisation isn't only for performers. When props from home, like games,
card tables, yoga mats, and picnic blankets, begin to pop up in a public space,
it's a re sign that people are tailoring it to their own needs. When people bring
outside elements into a space, they are demonstrating a sense of shared
ownership and attachment to it. Too often this kind of activity is prohibited or
discouraged. Allowing or even cultivating activities beyond the official plans of
a designer or manager is a sure-fire way to make a space into a multi-use
destination. Meetings of grassroots community groups, chess matches,
playdates, etc.
Sitting
While Whyte's premise that "people tend to sit most where there are places to sit" seems self-evident, research shows
that staying behaviors are measurably impacted both positively and negatively not only by seating quantity but also
by the quality of seating in a space. He states that there is no reason for people to stay in space unless there is
somewhere to sit. Good opportunities for sitting pave the way for myriad other activities that enliven public spaces such
as resting, reading, eating, or watching other people. Gehl argues that activities requiring seating are so vital to the
success of the space that the presence or lack of good seating options should be considered a preeminent factor in
evaluating the quality of the public environment. (Gehl)

The provision of seating along with thoughtfully designed edge conditions provides the feeling of comfort and safety
that users require to stay in a space, making them two of the most impactful environmental features in a public space.
Seats must be physically comfortable 1-3 ft. in height & no narrower than 16" It should allow for socially comfortable
seating choices like alone, with lover, in groups

Edge as seating, From, Making healthy places: role Movable chairs From, Making healthy places : role of
of social interaction and support, The Municipal art social interaction and support, The Municipal art society
society of New York of New York
Image

Visual image : Whether a space is comfortable and presents itself well - has a good image is key to its success. The image
includes perceptions about safety, cleanliness, and the availability of places to sit the importance of giving people the
choice to sit where they want is generally underestimated.

Food : If you want to seed a place with activity, put out food (Whyte,2010) Food attracts people who attract more people.
In New York at every plaza or set of steps with a lively social life, you will almost invariably find a food vendor at the corner
and a knot of people around him eating, schmoozing, or just standing. Vendors are the caterers of a city's outdoor life.
They flourish because they're servicing a demand not being met by the regular commercial establishment. Plazas are
particularly parasitic in this respect. Hardly a one has been constructed that did not involve the demolition of
luncheonettes and restaurants. The vendor thus fills a void, and this can become quite clear when he is shooed away. A lot
of the life of the space goes with him.

Human Scale :We have a completely new scale of surroundings now although the homo sapiens is still the game-of same
anthropometry, the same height of walking, still see the same distance, but not with his surroundings. People (designers)
started to plan cities from above through planes and helicopters - now cities look dashing and organized from above but
not on a human scale. If you look at old streets, they o busy having a good time that they forget that it looked smashing
and cluttered from are so air or helicopter.

Nature : people will enjoy and they spent time in well landscape which will provide an ambience for the users. Within
urban areas, people prefer space that are well maintained and contain amenities such as paths, seating, toilets, and play
equipment
Water
If water is present, and is given access to, people will interact with
it. Water is pleasant to touch and is great for other reasons as well.
One of the best things about water is the look, feel and sound of it.
The sound of water is universally experienced as mesmerizing,
relaxing, invigorating, and meditative. Running water either cools
the air or gives the illusion of doing so in hot weather, and is
calming. A natural water feature, such as a stream or lake , can
invite us to pause in park; a fountain can have the same effect.

Sun
The camera footage of Seagram's Plaza showed people almost
systematically sitting in the part of the plaza that, at the time, was
adorned with sunlight. Later, in June, sunlight was proved to be of
lesser importance than the early observations indicated. People
stopped following the path of sunlight at plazas as the studies ran
longer into the summer. Whyte declares that warmth is as
important as sunlight for achieving a pleasant public space
condition. This may vary from place to place due to microclimate.
However, the important variable is relative warmth. The sun should
be protected, letting in the necessary amount needed and filtering
the excess. But it is not the be all and end-all for fostering a
pleasant micro-climate.
Wind
Wind If warmth is as-if not more-important than sunlight. Whyte proposes the
concept of suntraps. Suntraps are spaces that effectively utilize the warmth naturally
provided by the sun. To create suntraps, consideration needs to be taken to winds
and drafts as much as to the sun. These places are usually smaller public spaces
enclosed on three sides. These spaces don't just offer a desirable micro-climate, it is
also a space of psychological comfortability.

Trees
Trees have plenty of positive impacts on public spaces. In terms of creating spaces
that are catered towards humans, trees deserve to be included. The best
recommendation is to place trees in connection to sitting places. The finest place to
sit, according to all observations executed over the project, is overlooking the scene
of the public life whilst residing under the comfortable protection[al a tree. The tree
functions as an enclosure in the same way a street cafe's umbrellas do. Trees also
provide desirable micro-climate control, their shade cools people down.

Safety :
When examining the relationship between activity level and degree of safety and
security on a street, that a well-used city street is apt to be safe, while a deserted city
street is apt to be unsafe
 Case study 1

The following case studies are selected considering their transformation from inactive to active place. They are analyzed
based on the factors mentioned in the previous chapter for validating to what degree these factors of interaction are
important.

Taking the two cases of similar context beaches in Calicut, Kerala on the basis of active and inactive public open space.

CALICUT BUT-ROAD BEACH & CALICUT SOUTH BEACH.

SOUTH BEACH CALICUT, KERALA. BUT ROAD BEACH CALICUT, KERALA

There are some factors that make people to stay and interact with each other. All public open spaces need not be active.
In older times tea shop was one of the best spot that made interactions as a in a public space .
Nowadays many public recreational area are not much active as a tea shop at that time , some factors are missing for
people to interact with each other.
These factors are proved by analysing through the case studies by taking an active and inactive public open space.

Here, Calicut battroad beach is taken as an inactive public open space.

The Buttroad beach is well landscaped area but, the place is not said to be an active POS because of many factors that are
analysed by the observation.
It does not have much food shops , only limited are there . It have rush when people come to there, due to the sufficient
of food shops and small verdure shops the people present in there and going interest is very less.

Bliss park, is a park which is in the Buttroad beach , comparatively very low people gathered and spent time in there.

Safety, the beach side is not well maintained and unhygienic in the area . Obviously , people will very unsafe for coming
with family and spent time in area.

Due to the lack of surveillance the people misusing the place at night time.

The beach does not have achieve the quality of a beach.

Calicut south beach taken as an active public open space.

The beach is very much active. People interact and spent time in the for many hours.
There have many factors for which people get stay and interact with each other. Early morning itself many people
came and engaged with jogging, walking, exercise.

The people in there of different age group they play football, volleyball…at the beach side.
The people come and sit there for relaxing, spending time, for meeting people and many temporary festivals and
carnivals also held nearby the beach only on the basis of the activeness of the beach.
Some club and authorities conduct exercising ,small workshop that cheers children in the morning.
In the south beach, there are many no.of food shops are there people around different area also come for get the food.
In Kerala Calicut is one of the best place which get variety kind of food, these all are available in the beaches and
makes very active in the beach.

In early Moring itself the small venture shops are selling tea and snacks , they depends on the people came at the
early morning.
Case study 2

TIMES SQUARE NEWYORK.

In 2009, New York City began an initiative to improve the mobility,

safety, and pedestrian experience on Broadway by closing portions
of the street to traffic and creating pedestrian plazas at times ad
herald squares. By closing portions of broadways to cars, the city
added 60,000 sq. ft. of space for the approximately 360,000
pedestrians that use the street every day. In addition to improving
public safety, the project has improved the pedestrian experience
for countless New York residents and visitors.

The project has increased both foot traffic and stationery pedestrian
activity such as sitting, eating, or lingering in the area. change from
a congested, horn-honking vehicular area into a world-class public
plaza with the addition of over 100,000 square feet of pedestrian-
exclusive space. According to the architects, since that time,
pedestrian injuries have dropped by 40%, vehicular accidents have
been reduced by 15%, and overall crime in the area has decreased
20%. Meanwhile, visitor health has improved, with air pollution rates
falling as much as 60% due to the removal of vehicles.
 Time square before 2009 Time square after 2009

Access and linkage: The interior of the plaza is visible to passersby urging them to use the space while the people who use
the space have visibility across and outside the plaza. There is a continuous hardscape connecting the building front to the
plaza allowing people to slide in without the presence of any physical barriers.

Seating - New seating options, including ten 50-foot-long granite benches, allow pedestrians to occupy the space at a
relaxed pace, as opposed to the aneurysm- inducing shuffle that visitors were subjected to for decades.
 Case study 3

BRYANT PARK, USA.

It was the greatest drug den in the entire city. You couldn't
see into it, and if you were into it you cannot see out of it.
That's why it was a perfect place for drug dealers because
they could do whatever they wanted to do undercover.
That made it a very scary place, which made the
surrounding neighborhood scary as well. People didn't
even want to go to the nearby New York Public Library
because they were worried about being mugged Whyte
proposed solutions, which was to take down the hedges
around the edge of it and make it so you could see it from
the outside. Just attention to little details made the-kind of
a sketchy park into this place where people wanted to
have their lunch breaks. And so, instead of putting in
things like fixed benches, tables and chairs that you could
move around Were introduced. They come into the space,
and they put their hands on the back of the chair, and they
just move it about an inch or two. It
becomes their own space
Access linkage :
Opens Park up to make it inviting to passers by.
Added multiple entrances.
Improved site lines.
Removed iron fences.
Removes shrubbery.
Improved internal circulation.

Triangulation - A mix of public uses Nature-3 acres of open green space.

Sitting-1000+ movable chairs.

Settings for all communities.

Destination and activities: Food & beverage kiosks.

Children's carousel
Case study 3

HIGH LINE, MANHATTAN

Frequented by more than four million visitors since its initial opening in 2009,
the High Line, stretching from Gansevoort Street to West 30th in Manhattan, has
become known as one of the liveliest places in New York City. It has transformed
the Meatpacking District and Chelsea areas into more attractive neighborhoods
and development opportunities. While the park itself is a breath-taking
spectacle with its incredible views of Manhattan picking through lush foliage,
this aesthetic is not the reason people have come to love it. In addition to
consistently engaging users, the High Line works hard to build deeper
relationships with its neighbors. The mainly observed activities are machines for
generating three types of urban social.

activity: looking, moving, and gathering.

Access and linkage:
Connected neighborhood with the park
Provided multiple entrances
Improved site lines.

Triangulation - A mix of public uses

Nature-Lush foliages and designed hardscape areas

Sitting spaces are provided.

High line - before High line - after

Case study 3

PARIS PLAGUE, FRANCE

Paris Plagues is a transformation of this Georges Pompidou

Expressway along with the Right Bank of the Seine into an urban
beach vacation. Run by the office of the Mayor of Paris, this urban
beach getaway had over four million visitors during its first year,
leading it to become one of the most active places in the region. The
continued success of this pop- up beach has helped reconnect citizens
to their city's waterway as well as to one another.

The 2-mile stretch from the Notre Dame Cathedral transforms into a
series of beaches, complete with sand, palm trees, umbrellas, lounge
chairs, a pop-up library, and a range of recreational activities such as
swimming pools suspended over the Seine, kayak stations, free
evening concerts, and dancing
Access and linkage: Initially the access was only from one
side with fences running all along with thick trees and
shrubs. This prevented visual and physical accessibility to
the river for the passer-by, River access was also restricted.
After the transformation, the fences were removed and
access points to the river were also given.

Activities and Destination: Although the place did have a

river to look by and a pathway to walk, it didn't give people
space for improvisation. Elements of triangulation were
absent. When it was converted to Paris plagues, many
activities ranged from a pop-up library to just sitting and
gazing at the river. road along sienna Paris

Paris plague,Paris
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS AND INFERENCE

Access Activities and Visual Food Human Nature Sitting Safety

and destination image scale
linkage
Times square
(Before 2009)
Times square
(After 2009)
Bryan park
(Before 2009)
Bryan park
(After 2009)
High line
(Before 2009)
High line
(After 2009)
Roads along
Sienna, Paris.
Paris plague,
Paris
INFERENCE

All of the above factors are important to varying degrees; one can sacrifice a few and still have a decent
public space, but one cannot sacrifice them all. Some are also more urgent than others. For instance, while
attractive paving and nature in parks helps, it is far more important for it to be accessible easily in the first
place. Similarly, as discussed throughout, sightlines, activities and destinations are of great importance in
attracting people to public spaces.

The success of a public space depends primarily on the activity it holds to generate interest in people.
Certain of such don't get visited by people only because they don't offer any activity which can attract
people. These spaces shall not be not greatly deviating from existing roads, or pathways. It should be in
very close proximity in a way that people can slide to these spaces.

Good spaces for interaction depend first on design, and design depends, in turn on the needs and
preferences of the people who'll be using the spaces. Those people should, to the extent possible, be
involved from the beginning in the design or redesign of public spaces. Making sure that development,
reconstruction or repair projects, park and open space management, etc. are designed with interaction in
mind may involve incentives and regulations, economic and otherwise. Communities or neighbourhoods
may do best by organizing and using their existing assets to design and create areas that foster interaction
 CONCLUSION

Building a true community takes the establishment of trust, respect, and common purpose among groups and individuals
of different races, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. One element of accomplishing this goal is the creation of spaces
where people can come together and mix naturally, getting to know one another, or at least getting used to one another's
presence and style.

Such good community gathering places are places where people want to be, and are physically set up to encourage
conversation and interaction. They provide reasons to go there and reasons to stay, feel safe and comfortable, and are
accessible and welcoming to everyone. It's to the benefit of any community or neighbourhood to have as many of these
natural gathering places as possible, since they allow not only for interaction, but for entertainment, cross-cultural learning
and the establishment of inter-group harmony, and the building of neighbourhood and community pride.

In addition to their social benefits, good places for interaction can also lead to economic development, in that they are often
good places to do business as well. Well-planned public outdoor spaces act as magnets, but also as gateways, welcoming
and leading people into and through neighbourhoods, and areas they might otherwise never have seen.
Thanks!