| Most of our time is spent in necessary pursuits, but optional or recreational activities are also very important. We need places in which to pursue these activities, and in the crowded settings of our cities this need is urgent because most space is formally allocated to specific uses and functions. Thus open and flexible public space is also residual space in which people watch, or just sit. Public spaces provide the opportunity to mingle with our fellow citizens. The purely social purpose of public space is sometimes overlooked or overshadowed. A very important aspect of city life and activity can be as simple as chatting about the weather.; This thesis describes and compares two city squares, Burnaby's Civic Square and Vancouver's Courthouse Square, including their locations and histories, and then evaluates the importance of context in relation to the people and the place: the buildings, activities, traffic (pedestrian and vehicular), residential characteristics and numbers, connections to public transit, and people's familiarity with the location.; The important differences between Burnaby's Civic Square and Vancouver's Courthouse Square are to be found in their respective surroundings. The contexts of these squares have been the determining factors influencing the square's users and their activities. Public spaces need to do more than fill empty or leftover space in the city. There are more examples of empty or underused public spaces in the literature than there are successful ones. The neighbourhood must be taken into account to avoid designing and building an attractive, but unpopular space. Context must be carefully considered along with design when planning a new public place. |
