The social life of small urban spaces research by erik rietveld. It is far easier, simpler to create spaces that work for people than those that do not and a tremendous difference it can make to the life of a city. So whyte and his team began by looking at new york citys parks, plazas, and various informal recreational areas like city blocks a total of 16 plazas, 3 small parks, and a number of odds and ends trying to figure out why some city spaces work for people while others dont, and what the practical implications might be about. The book, the social life of small urban spaces, wants to be a manual for the creation and management of urban spaces, referring in particular to the city of new york. The methodology of the book is documentary, but it carries with it an agenda and exhortation for the enrichment of the spaces themselves. This was both a scholarly study and design critique of public spaces commissioned by. William hollingsworth holly whyte october 1, 1917 january 12, 1999 was an american urbanist, organizational analyst, journalist and peoplewatcher. The social life of small urban spaces the street corner in interaction design on vimeo. Whyte published the findings from his revolutionary street life project in the social life of small urban spaces. Many of the findings from this project have parallels in visitor settings such as museums, botanic gardens, etc. Both the book and the accompanying film were instantly labeled classics, and launched a minirevolution in the planning and study of public spaces. Study and analysis of the public plazas of new york city. The social life of small urban spaces informal science. The street life project, and began studying new york citys urban spaces including parks, playgrounds.
The social life of small urban spaces, a 1979 documentary by william h. C wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be. I got a copy of the social life of small urban spaces 1980 which in. The social life of small urban spaces street urban.
Pdf the social life of the small urban space bruna. As reflected in the film, whyte demonstrated how social life in public spaces plays such a. I got a copy of whytes 1980 classic, the social life of small urban spaces, which in its marvelouslywritten, straightforward style is the one book all burgeoning urbanists should start with. Classic documentary on public space now available online.
The city of new york commissioned urbanist william whyte to study what factors make a public space a good public space. The social life of small urban spaces is a brief book on urban plaza design from william whyte, author of the organization man. He identified the elements that create vibrant public spaces within the city and filmed a variety of urban plazas in new york city in 1970s. In 1970 william whyte formed a small research group.
The paper the social life of small urban spaces by william h. Whyte suggested that the effective market radius for a plaza is about three blocksp. The social life of small urban spaces pdf free download epdf. How would public places be different if informal power wasnt enforced. This highly influential film in architecture and planning circles by william h. William whyte s architectural piece the social life ofsmall urban spaces evaluates the benefits and problems of urban spaces. The social life of small urban spaces william whyte 1980. The social life of small urban spaces m o h d d a n i s h m. After this classic book, whyte focused on the issues of urban sprawl and urban revitalization. William holly whyte in his own words, the social life. The social life of small urban spaces 1979 short version. A couple years ago, i pointed to a 10minute clip of a longer documentary called the social life of small urban spaces. The organization man, the social life of small urban spaces.
Buy social life of small urban spaces new edition by whyte, william h. Holly whytes the social life of small urban spaces. The aim of the research project was to study how people use plaza. With the publication of the social life of small urban spaces and its companion film in 1980, the world could see that through the basic tools of observation and. The social life of small urban spaces free download as pdf file. Whytes witty and original film about the open spaces of cities and why some of them work for people while others do not. Why do people claim that they go to public places to get away from it all. The social life of small urban spaces, william holly whytes 1979 documentary, may be right up your alley. They have since become standard texts, and appear on syllabi and reading lists in urban planning, sociology.
Whyte and his colleagues involved in the street life project whyte, 1980. As we have discovered, the architectural feats of modernisms glory days provided cities. Spaces designed to keep out o u r small urban spaces, i f we design new s. Beginning at new yorks seagram plaza, one of the most used open areas in the city, the film proceeds to analyze why this space is so popular and how other urban oases, both in new york and elsewhere, measure up. Whyte receedate oe tte to our readers for more than 25. Perhaps his most important gift was the ability to show us how to discover for ourselves why some public spaces work and others dont. It resulted in 1980 in, among other things, a documentary called the social life of small urban spaces. William hollingsworth holly whyte 1917 12 january 1999 was an american urbanist, organizational analyst, journalist and peoplewatcher. The methods of study included timelapse filming, interviews, and direct observation. Whyte, who investigated the social role of urban design in the social life of small urban spaces 1980, we spent 350 hours. Whyte, who investigated the social role of urban design in the social life of small urban spaces 1980, we spent 350 hours observing seven public parks, plazas. The social life of small urban spaces paperback march 1, 2001.
Still from the social life of small urban spaces the documentary is a feast for anyone interested in design and the skilled. The social life of small urban spaces linkedin slideshare. Whyte was born in west chester, pennsylvania and died in new york city in 1999. Holly whyte, explores the successes and failures of public spaces in new york city. The social life of small urban spaces william hollingsworth whyte snippet view 1980. The purpose of designing spaces is to encourage the. Whyte entitled the social life of small urban spaces. Whyte s book is summarized in this issue of visitor behavior because of its relevance to the topic of outdoor public places.
The social life of small urban spaces pdf epub mobi txt. Erik rietveld introduces the social life of small urban. Pdf the social life of the small urban space bruna silveira. Duy anh vu edited english subtitles for the social life of small urban spaces. Observing the natural order of spaces and the way people move through them, whyte provides an intuitive critique of urban spaces and ways these spaces can be improved. How prezi does project status updates with a distributed workplace. Slim but fantastically insightful, the social life of small urban spaces is a foundational piece of todays thinking on what makes a great city and a fine addition to these essential reads. The social life of small urban places june 2, 2015 andrea gibbons 8 comments truly one of the greats of urban planning, i loved this pivotal look at how you study public space and what you learn from the practice. This witty and original film is about the open spaces of cities and why some of them work for people while others dont. The social life of small urban spaces by william h. Arch 1st sem urban regeneration j a m i a m i l l i a i s l a m i a by william h. Project for public spaces, the social life of small urban spaces 1979 short version planum magazine, movies column no. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Whyte analyzes the success and failures of urban spaces. The social life of small urban spaces brain pickings. In our effort to create and sustain public spaces that build. Whyte published the findings from his revolutionary street life project. Whytes study of public urban spaces demonstrates the complex positioning of privately ownedpublic spaces. Whyte they apparently put the whole thing up on youtube. William whytes the social life of small urban spaces one of the most enduring images for those studying public spaces in cities is that of william. The social life of small urban spaces street urban planning. Benjamin rebeilleborgella mentor to many, including jane jacobs, william h. Here, whyte focuses on behavior in urban plazas of the sort generally found at the foot of corporate skyscrapers in new york, san francisco, and other major cities.
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