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The creation of public spaces is a complex process, yet a universal goal that can effectively guide it is that the space ought to meet various human needs (ecological, physiological, emotional, socio-cultural, and spiritual) and as a result stimulate our various senses. To achieve this goal, universal principles of public space making are evident from history. They are described in the New Zealand’s Urban Design Protocol (2005) as the 7Cs:

• Understand Context
• Enrich existing Character
• Provide people Choice in places
• Make Connections
• Encourage Creativity
• Practice Custodianship
• Employ Collaboration

As a starting point the above principles shows that successful public spaces are a product of the process employed. The more participatory and responsive the design process is to local stakeholders the greater the likelihood that the space will become an enduring legacy for present and future communities - a space that people love to be in and that becomes a place of pride.

The dimensions of public space are important to understand before starting the pragmatics of what to do in the development phases. As such, each dimension of public space will be briefly described and how they relate to the above principles before the key issues and implementation actions/lessons are discussed.

The dimensions of public space

Public spaces are often valued differently by different groups of people. The reason for this lies in the fact that there are multiple dimensions or aspects of public space. Each aspect may grab the attention of a particular stakeholder group. Public space has a Form/Structural, Perceptual, Social; Visual; Functional and Temporal dimension (Carmona et al, 2003). For example, a poet may be captivated by the perceptual and temporal aspects of a town square, whilst a shop owner may be interested in the social and functional aspects of the square.

Form/Structural Dimension

This aspect focuses on the configuration of streets and other types of public space, land and buildings into urban blocks. Surrounding structural patterns/layouts and urban/built form influence the success of public space. This dimension of space relates to the principles of understanding context and making connections to create distinct areas and coherent networks of well-connected streets and public spaces. Since the early Twentieth century the contrasting spatial models are “traditional” versus “modernist”. “Traditional” urban forms consist of finely meshed street grid/network and small blocks of mixed uses where buildings define and enclose space. “Modernist” urban forms consist of sparse road/highway networks and superblocks of segregated uses where buildings are objects in space. Studies show that “traditional” urban forms are more walkable, attractive to pedestrians and socially vibrant (e.g. Venice, Italy) compared to “Modernist” space which tends to be dominated by vehicular traffic and parking; is unsafe for pedestrians and streets are devoid of “social” life (e.g. Houston, Texas).

As a result of systemic interconnections, settlement patterns have a large impact on the energy consumption, ecological footprint and long term resilience of urban communities to adapt to change. The importance of getting the urban structure right cannot be overstated, not only for the “life” of public spaces but for the life of the planet.

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Perceptual Dimension

Place is not good or bad simply because it is real versus surrogate, authentic versus pastiche. People enjoy both, whether it is a place created over centuries, or created instantly. A successful place, like a novel or movie, engages us actively in an emotional experience orchestrated and organised to communicate purpose and story (Sircus, 2001, p.31).

The perceptual dimension of public space is about how the environment is perceived through our senses, the overall effect of which is often referred to as sense of place - what we see, smell, feel, hear and it is also about the construction of place.
This dimension relates to the principle of enriching existing character to clarify whether the project will enhance an established or new sense of place. Based on the work of Kevin Lynch (1960), symbolic images and place identity are defined by elements such as paths, edges, nodes, landmarks and precincts. Context mapping and stakeholder engagement can identify these elements before the design process begins to construct the place. In the construction of a place a key factor is the degree of its “authenticity”. Since urban design as a process invents and reinvents places, the fit of a space with its cultural heritage is one measure of “authenticity”. Contrived themes are often criticised by historical/cultural critics even though people may enjoy being in them. The challenge is perhaps ensuring that the project outcomes deliver a legible and meaningful public realm. “Real” spaces invite people to draw meaning from, and add meaning to the urban environment – building a sense of psychological connectedness (Carmona, et al, 2003, p.105).

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Social Dimension

This dimension is about people and space, “public life” and the “public realm” and it relates to the principle of providing people choice in places. Space and society are clearly related in a two way process, where people modify spaces and changes the environment (public realm) while at the same time their behaviour (public life) is being influenced by them (Carmona, et al, 2003, p. 106-107).

Some of the key human needs associated with public life include:

• Equitable access and inclusion – accessible use of the public realm and responding to social segregation and exclusion;
• Safety and security – crime prevention through environmental design;
• Affiliation needs – to belong to a community; opportunities for social interaction, social mix and diversity; and
• Self-actualisation needs – e.g. for artistic expression and fulfilment.

Commentators note that economic and social trends towards more semi-public spaces under private ownership and management orientated to consumption and recreation; make it difficult to create “true” public spaces with 24 hour, seven days a week access. For example retail shopping complexes.

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Visual Dimension

The visual/aesthetic dimension of public space relates to the principles of encouraging creativity and employing collaboration. Why? – To create a public space that offers a kinaesthetic experience by satisfying spatial preferences, using physical patterns and order. Kaplan and Kaplan (1982, p.81) suggest “coherence”, “legibility”, “complexity” and “mystery” as informational qualities of environments that contribute to people’s preferences for particular physical environments. These qualities influence the appreciation of space according to how we make sense of it and the level of involvement and exploration it allows (refer table below).

Appreciation	Informational Qualities of Environments
	Making Sense	Involvement
Present or immediate	Coherence Environments easy to organise or structure	Complexity Environments with enough in the present scene to keep one occupied
Future or promised	Legibility Environments suggesting that they could be explored extensively without getting lost	Mystery Environments suggesting that, if they were explored further, new information could be acquired

The creation of a kinaesthetic experience whilst moving through space or townscapes is more likely if the above spatial preferences are considered in the proposal. This can be achieved when all the elements of the built environment (buildings, streets, spaces, hard and soft landscaping and street furniture) work together to create an enjoyable scene with visual interest and “drama”.

Design ingredients that contribute to a dynamic sequence through space are:

• Aesthetics;
• Scale;
• Building facades;
• Views and Vistas;
• Variety;
• Order and unity;
• Architecture, detail and richness;
• Landscaping; and
• Public art.

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Functional Dimension

The functional dimension of public space which involves how places work relates to the principles of providing people choice in places and employing collaboration. Six issues dominate the functionality of space, and good places resolve these through collaboration to optimise choice so that the space serves more than one purpose.

1. Environmental (microclimate) and physiological comfort is a must for successful public spaces as the length of time people stay in a public space is an indicator of comfort. How the microclimate – wind, sunlight, and shade is managed to make the space physically comfortable needs to be considered. Design factors include understanding the impact of surrounding buildings onto public spaces, in generating hazardous wind tunnelling effects and undesirable overshadowing. Climate sensitive design can not only mitigate detrimental effects but also adds value through creating more pleasant places, providing energy efficient solar access and healthier spaces with viable vegetation and areas for outdoor activities. The comfort of street furniture is another key design factor.
2. Human needs. Carr et al. (1992) argues that public spaces should be responsive, that is, designed and managed to serve the needs of their users. They identify primary needs that people seek to satisfy in public space. Good public spaces allow people to fulfil a range of needs that focus on human engagement and activity. Provide spaces for:
   1. relaxation;
   2. passive engagement;
   3. active engagement;
   4. discovery. (refer to glossary for meanings)
3. Movement and permeability – the relationship between land uses, urban structure and the purpose of pedestrian movement is an important factor in generating public life and a vital and viable range of activities. Land uses, particularly people attractors or magnets will affect the generation of movement through, within and to a public place. Active edges and building facades are another factor to ensure functional public spaces (see “active edge effects” under Benchmarks).
4. Service infrastructure – water supply, power, telecommunications, stormwater drainage, sewer systems, public transport and artificial lighting. Over time, a locality’s infrastructure may develop in an ad hoc, incremental way, potentially causing conflicts with the elements of successful public spaces. For example, a pedestrian footpath widening and tree planting project can trigger a chain reaction of infrastructure improvements in a street from augmenting storm water drainage, replacing old sewer lines that are impervious to tree root damage and undergrounding overhead power lines. Urban design as a process can help reduce infrastructure conflicts in the future as well as balance the multi-faceted functions of public space.
5. Car Parking – do the planned “on-street” and “off-street” parking infrastructures optimise local capital (environmental, social, and economic)? The current thinking is to design pedestrian-dominant rather than car-dominant environments, leading to extensive pedestrianisation of city centres.
6. Privacy (visual and aural) within the public and private domain. “The edge of the public space network provides the interface between public and private realms and needs to both enable interaction and protect privacy” (Carmona, et al., 2003, p.178). Design strategies include:
   1. Positioning transitional, permeable activities between public and private realms (e.g. outdoor dining).
   2. Mitigating noise nuisance, either by reducing the “breakout” of noise (sound insulation and attenuation) or locating noise sensitive uses (e.g. housing) away from noise generating uses (e.g. night entertainment districts).

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Temporal Dimension

This dimension recognises that public spaces change over time and it relates to the principle of practicing custodianship. As an environmental, social and economic resource with a lifecycle that can span over millennia, public spaces can have intergenerational impacts. As a result an ethos of custodianship towards our public spaces is very apt. We live in “time-places” (Lynch, 1972, p.241) or in the words of Patrick Geddes, a city “is more than a place in space, it is drama in time” (from Carmona et al, 2003, p.193).

The two main aspects of the temporal dimension of space are:

1. Time cycles and the management of activities in space;
2. The management of “place” change over time including -
   1. the quality of robustness and appropriate heritage conservation; and
   2. the “organic growth” design and development approach.

First, very subtly, urban design can accentuate the changing atmosphere of a place and how people use it due to rhythmic repetition caused by different time cycles. Does the design respond to different time horizons – day and night, summer and winter, long and short term, and related cycles of activity? In a world where cities are shifting towards a 24/7 way of life, the management of public space, may likewise shift.

Second, the design of public space needs to adapt to changing human needs and accommodate them without significant change in physical form. This is called robustness, the ability to resist functional obsolescence. The main properties of robustness have already been discussed and they include: openness (uncluttered), flexibility, variety, comfort and sociability. The issue here is about the management of urban or place change and as custodians how to guide alterations to our built spaces. In response to this issue the main strategies include heritage conservation and “organic growth”.

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Key Issues

Benefits

Green spaces provide people access to nature, and research shows the benefits to public health, emotional wellbeing and human development that contact with nature brings. Access to green spaces within urban environments also improves community awareness of our relationship to ecological systems.

Cost benefit assessments and anecdotal evidence shows that great public spaces (streets, squares, parks) improve the business vitality of the local economy as people are attracted to these places (The Value of Urban Design, New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, 2005, p.4).

Good design can improve community safety using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and better public health by improving walkability. Friendly public spaces help build social cohesion, sense of identity and civic engagement.

Public spaces provide opportunities for cultural interaction and celebration. Local cultural heritage may be reflected through permanent or temporal art works (installations) and add to the character of the place (see Case study – Sandridge Bridge Refurbishment). Public spaces can contribute to spiritual wellbeing, through offering sacred spaces, quiet places and places that express our connections to the cosmos. For example by having small public squares as living rooms, healing/contemplation gardens, public spaces located next to water or on high ground with vistas or as consecrated ground (Alexander et al, 1997, p.304-344).

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Risks

Risk may be internal or external to the public space project. Using a Risk Analysis is helpful to identify the potential impact on the project objectives and then prepare risk management strategies to minimise their adverse effects. Internal risks can usually be controlled by the Project Manager, these include:

• Unclear project goals;
• Poor project plan: the activities may be poorly perceived and the interdependencies not well understood;
• Poor communication between project partners and stakeholders;
• Poor project organisation: e.g. inadequate staffing and badly managed;
• Project methods may fail to provide adequate controls for cost, quality, timeliness and scope of work.

External risks are harder to deal with, or anticipate and the Project Manager can only react to them. Where risks have been identified, the project manager can take action to lessen their impact on the project if they occur. Typical risk management strategies include:

• Addition of contingencies (extra budget allocations to cover the risk if they arise);
• Avoidance of risk (passing on the risks to sub-contractors or the client);
• Reduction of risk (including testing and other activities that will discover technical risks before construction starts and/or is finished);
• Insurance against risk for construction delays, accidents or product failure (warranty).

In regard to the big picture, after construction is complete, risks include poor public spaces that can facilitate crime and undermine community/civic pride.
Projects implemented through lack of stakeholder engagement during the design phase may also not meet the multi-dimensional needs of users and as a result become a wasteland.

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Savings

Savings are mainly achieved at the planning and design phases of the project. Good design processes that include participatory and collaborative stakeholder engagement (see fact sheet “Community Engagement”) can prevent costly mistakes (e.g. clash of services or functions that need to be fixed during the construction phase). Good design can also reduce maintenance costs, lifecycle costs and the need to retrofit physical changes during the "life" of the public space. (e.g. Triple Bottom Line (TBL) costs incurred by the community through crime may be significantly reduced through "Crime Prevention through Environmental Design" (CPTED)).

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Costs

There are four main costs of a public space project, each of which occurs within a different phase of development.
Firstly there are the Capital costs, made up of the planning and design costs and construction costs for the physical infrastructure/urban improvements. Secondly, during the construction phase the developer needs to consider the financial impacts of the project to surrounding businesses, where traders may be inconvenienced and potentially loose trade. Appropriate public liability insurance is also essential during construction to cover the risk of injurious claims from accidents.
Thirdly, the project custodian needs to factor the recurring or maintenance costs for the public space. Recurring costs may include landscape maintenance, waste disposal, lighting, cleaning and repairs.
Fourthly, there are costs associated with multi-stakeholder engagement and communication processes during the feasibility (project scoping); planning and design; and construction and post occupancy stages. Time and cost effective methods exist to maximise the involvement of stakeholders in an atmosphere of collaboration such as Equiry by Design workshops and Charrettes.
For all expenditure types the relationship between underground services and placement of above ground works is critical. At the planning and design phase, conflicts can be minimised, which in turn may reduce construction costs by avoiding costly variations and specification changes.

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Barriers

Barriers to creating great public spaces include:

• Lack of project definition due to poor context analysis. This means that there is a poor understanding of the issues and the problems to be addressed through the design process. The result may be “plonk” solutions that do not subtly respond to local conditions, culture and human needs.
• Lack of collaboration and project vision between stakeholders who manage the public domain and potential users (e.g. State and local government departments, businesses, residents, visitors).
• Lack of creativity during the phases of the project.
• Financial costs of urban improvements or public space works delivered at the Local Government level often require co-funding from State and Federal Government programs (e.g. QLD's Regional Centres Program or VIC's Pride of Place Program or NSW's Urban Improvement Program). This may make the process time consuming as bidders compete for funds by demonstrating the TBL costs and benefits of their projects. Perceptions of red tape may inhibit funding applications. Acquittal processes to ensure public accountability may also include project evaluation surveys/studies.

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Benchmarks

Benchmarks in this context are the quality outcomes of successful public spaces to aim for and provide. They can be used as performance measures to evaluate existing places; control the design standards of proposed spaces as well as evaluate the project after completion. Key quality outcomes of successful public spaces are:

• Character: a place with its own identity and image
  Performance indicators:
  • Places of cultural heritage (conservation rates)
  • Key landmarks (natural and built)
  • Cleanliness/quality of maintenance
  • Obvious physical barriers or boundaries
• Universal Accessibility and Permeability: a place that is easy for all to get to (access), move through, and connect with surroundings
  Performance indicators:
  • Visibility from a distance
  • Walkability (PedShed analysis - % area within 400m walking distance)
  • Proximity to public transit
  • Equitable access standards
  • Number of linkages or paths connected to the space
• Safety
  Performance indicators:
  • Casual surveillance of spaces by adjacent inhabitants (workers or residents)
  • Human activity in the space
  • Lighting standards
  • Ground gradients and changes in level meet standards
  • Reduction of areas of potential concealment
  • Appropriate maintenance of vegetation ensures sight lines along paths and between spaces
  • Human health impacts of materials
• Cultural Vitality and responsiveness (sociability): exciting, safe, attractive places. Spaces that offer artistic expression and fulfilment
  Performance indicators:
  • Mix of surrounding uses
  • Frequency of community events/activities (programming space)
  • Economic vitality
  • Number of visitors to the space
  • Sense of pride and community ownership
  • Art work collaborations
  • Presence of children and seniors
• Variety: a place that offers variety and diverse choices ‘the spice of life’ when meeting human needs
  Performance indicators:
  • Number of “nodes” (points of converging activity or meeting spots) in the space
  • Mix of surrounding uses
  • Area of open, uncluttered space that can be used for different uses
  • Hours of use or activity on a daily, weekly and seasonal basis
• Wayfinding (Legibility): a place that is easy to understand and orientate yourself in (related to accessibility)
  Performance indicators:
  • Visibility of surrounding landmarks
  • Clarity of information signage
  • Extent of signage clutter and visual pollution
  • Casual surveillance of pathways and spaces
• Useability and Adaptability: a place that can change and adapt as required. Spaces that matches the pattern of behaviour that people engage in (the activity that people want to engage in), and a place that can change easily or accommodate different uses over time.
  Performance indicators:
  • Number of activities that could reasonably take place in the space without rearrangements and refurbishing
  • Range of social activity and interaction (see Variety)
  • Seasonal weather or microclimate conditions which would interrupt the intended or spontaneous use of the space
• Sustainability: Intergenerational ecological, social and economic needs are met without compromising the future
  Performance indicators:
  • Low embodied energy levels of materials and construction methods
  • Low human health impacts of materials or plants (e.g. some flowers exacerbate asthma attacks and materials allergic reactions)
  • Carbon offsets provided by landscaping
  • Water sensitive urban design standards (see fact sheet on …)
  • High degree of local supply of talent, resources and renewable materials
  • Minimal waste generation and disposal
  • Conservation of existing heritage, buildings, good spaces
  • Renewable energy generation opportunities (e.g. solar powered lighting, or BBQ facilities)
  • High degree to which the proposal holistically satisfies the other performance criteria
• Human scale
  Performance indicators:
  • The extent of which space is enclosed and defined physically and perceptually (are external rooms being created?)
  • The ratio of building height to street/public space width, falls within the field of human vision (optical limit = Optimal angle to perceive a building is 27° OR from a distance twice its height)

 

Optical limits→Human Scale
Ability	Distance	Scale
Distinguish faces	12 m	Intimate scale
Recognise person	22.5m	Normal scale
Body gestures seen and distinguish genders	135m	Public scale
10min walking dist	800m	Village scale
See people as such	1200m	Monumental
20min walk	1500m	Monumental

 

• Comfort: a place that provides a suitable micro-climate (temperature, shade, breezes) and public furniture that is ergonomically comfortable
  Performance indicators:
  • Provision of shelter
  • Places of shade and sun (solar access)
  • Range of comfortable seating options
  • Provision of public toilets
  • Provision of drinking water
  • Provision of street furniture – bike racks, bins, street lamps, bollards, seating
  • Wind tunnelling effects do not threaten human safety or comfort (see case study Melbourne Urban Design Program)
• The "Active Edge Effect": interrelationships between public spaces and private uses within buildings. Edges of public spaces add to activity and spontaneous exchanges between people
  Performance indicators:
  • Number of premises every 100 metres
  • Number of doors and windows every 100 metres
  • Casual surveillance of pathways and spaces
  • Range of functions along the edge
  • Depth and relief in the building surface
  • High quality materials and refined details
    For example the Urban Design Compendium (English Partnerships, 2000) specifies that the highest grade street frontage has more than 15 premises every 100 metres and more than 25 doors and windows per 100 metres). (see case study The Melbourne City Laneways Program)
• Green spaces and landscapes
  Performance indicators:
  • Number of trees per lineal metre/ area in the space
  • Area of permeable ground surfaces and soft landscaping for water infiltration
  • Rate of carbon sequestration and air pollutant filtration by trees
  • Fit with broader landscape strategy or vision for the whole city or area
• Durability and viable lifecycle costs (quality materials and construction)
  Performance indicators:
  • Abrasion rates of materials (e.g. pavers)
  • Lifecycle of materials
  • Australian standards
  • Maintenance costs

(NZ UD Protocol, UDAL, PPP, CABE, Good Urban Places)

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Development phase actions

Feasibility

This phase is aimed at defining the problems of a place and options for improvement. Established methods in this process include “Placecheck” surveys or walkabout audits by users to understand what is working, not working and what needs improvement within a place. Feasibility studies for public space improvement projects need to clarify community and stakeholder expectations and needs, the wider contextual issues of the project and how it fits into the surrounding built environment, and the scope of works.

A cost benefit assessment of the project would detail the TBL downstream impacts of the design initiatives. The purpose of a cost benefit assessment is to better understand the environmental, social and economic benefits of a project and its options to assist decision makers in recommending a project direction. Moughtin (1999, p.143) identifies the following impacts to be considered in an environmental impact assessment for an urban design project:

1. Local Economy
   • Impact on public finances
   • Impact on businesses
   • Impact on employment
   • Change in land values
   • Impact on support grants of other agencies
   • Impact on land tenure
2. Local Environment
   • Impact on air quality
   • Impact on water resources (surface/ground)
   • Changes in noise and vibration
   • Impact on greenbelt and open spaces
   • Impact on natural habitats, species and vegetation
   • Changes in land uses and densities
3. Aesthetic and cultural values
   • Impact on urban patterns
   • Visual impacts and effects on buildings
   • Impact on cultural heritage significant sites
   • Impact on amenity and personal security
   • Impact on community cohesion and identity
   • Impact on minority groups and equal opportunities
4. Infrastructure
   • Impact on public utilities
   • Impact on public services and facilities
   • Impact on emergency services
   • Impact on traffic conditions
   • Impact on public transport
   • Impact on health and safety

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Planning

Decision making tools or policy instruments used during the planning phase include Urban Design Frameworks, Master Plans or Local Area Structure Plans and Development Briefs.

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) organisation recommends “The Power of 10 Place design strategy” for effective planning. It espouses that:

• each city should have 10 great destinations/districts;
• each destination has 10 interesting places;
• each place has 10 things to do creating synergy between uses.

 
Planning for successful public spaces is dependent on strengthening the critical relationships to:

• Transportation (Transit Orientated Design);
• Community infrastructure (e.g. co-location); and
• Surrounding land uses.

Project Planning aims to optimise the benefits, overcome the barriers and manage the risks of creating successful public space. Considerations include specifying the:

• Scope of work;
• Quality standards;
• Budget and staging;
• Timing; and
• Risk Management.

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Design

Refer to the Benchmarks (quality outcomes) of successful public spaces to see the design factors that need to be addressed. The design process also includes methods of community consultation to ensure local needs are being met for the space. Integrating participatory stakeholder engagement in the design process helps to develop a shared vision for the place and its design outcomes as well as to give feedback on concepts and design solutions (see case study Piazza Italia, Melbourne).

As mentioned previously, the design process ought to avoid conflicts between underground services and above ground improvements. The involvement of artists during the planning and design phases can also integrate art opportunities into the place – avoiding “plonked” solutions.

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Construction

During the construction phase, some key tips include:

• Quality supervision of the work and ongoing involvement of the designers to troubleshoot onsite changes during construction.
• Great communication with affected stakeholders (e.g. traders within a street) to manage construction issues for streetscape works such as hours of construction, noise, dust, site plant location, and maintaining safe pedestrian access to shopfronts.
• Clearly thought out risk management strategies (refer to RISKS).

For Greenfield projects, site management best practice needs to be specified in the construction tender documents to:

• control stormwater runoff and sedimentation;
• ensure water sensitive urban design (see case study Cotton Tree WSUD Precinct Demonstration Project)
• control any impacts identified in the Environmental assessment and Risk assessment; and
• conserve significant trees/natural features in the public space.

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Lot Creation

Refer to the above site management issues for Greenfield projects and master planned communities.

Land tenure options for public space relates to the degree of “public-ness” of the place. Carmona et al (2003, p.111) describe three types of public realm:

1. External public space: pieces of land that lie between private land holdings (e.g. streets, parks, squares, rivers, beaches).
2. Internal public space: public/community facilities (e.g. libraries, museums, town halls, public transport facilities).
3. External and internal semi-public space: “privatised” public spaces owned and managed by the private sector who can regulate access and behaviour (e.g. university campuses, cinemas, restaurants, shopping complexes).

Basically the land tenure options for the types of public space are either: (1) handed to the Crown as public reserve; or (2) freehold title (private ownership) with title covenants or easements over the land to allow public access and use if negotiated as part of the development approval (e.g. right of access easements over pedestrian laneways and courtyards within a shopping complex).

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Completion

After construction, during the practical completion or hand-over phase to the client some important activities necessary for the long-term success of the space are:

• Accurate records including photos of the works at final inspection can make claims to the construction contractor for repairs, easier if faults arise during the defects liability period. Regular monitoring during the defects liability period will pick up faults to be repaired by the contractor before the end of the contract.
• Documented Maintenance schedules/regime for hard and soft landscaping within public spaces to ensure that these works are maintained during the contractual defects liability and maintenance period, before handover to the client.
• Post occupancy evaluations to monitor the performance of the public space and to assess how it meets local needs. Benchmarking data can be collected using the qualities described under that section. Post occupancy evaluations of past projects can also improve the organisational capacity of a local government to deliver better public spaces for future projects (see case study Melbourne Urban Design Program Evaluation).

A form of post occupancy evaluation developed by CABE called the “pedestrian environment review system” (PERS) uses a number of characteristics to assess the design qualities of a particular street in regard to its “Link” or “Place” function.

“Link” characteristics assessed include:

• Effective footpath width;
• Dropped kerbs/gradient
• Obstructions;
• Permeability;
• Legibility;
• Lighting;
• Personal security;
• Surface quality;
• User conflict;
• Maintenance; and
• Quality of the environment.

(Source: CABE, 2007)

“Place” characteristics assessed include:

• Moving in the space;
• Interpreting the space;
• Personal safety
• Feeling comfortable;
• Sense of place;
• Opportunity for activity.

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