Southern Exposure – An Interesting Observation

Honestly, Thomas – most people in the midwest don’t sit outside in the winter. You must be one of those crazy nature lovers! ha! Most of the benches are clearly designed for summer use. I wonder if your observation is true for sunnier winter spots? CO, NM, even western SD is waaay sunnier than Chicago….the midwest is usually so overcast that a sunny winter day is the exception rather than the rule….

You might like a book I’m currently reading called Urban Microclimate: Designing the Spaces Between Building by Evyatar Erell, David Pearlmutter and Terry Williamson.

Refreshing design dialogue here. Good to see again. My own dimes worth….

Like most of us posting here, we probably pride ourselves on having a well-honed sense of design, biased from whatever sources, inspirations or personal prejudices, but an appreciation of design nevertheless and in whatever form or expression,.

On this particular topic, I have always wondered why I see, what I consider to be way, way too many benches in public spaces and places, that never seem to get used, no matter what the given conditions are on any given day. Even on the days of premium weather, maximum solar exposure and people attracting events or happenings, we seem to provided too much seating,

As far as I know, there are no bench seating criteria or ratios (e.g. some many linear feet of seating be it bench or seat wall for so many square feet of plaza hardscape) and I would not trust them even if they do exist.

My own personal experience and observation is that in many smaller scale parks (smaller in terms of acreage  and mostly at the neighborhood and community scale- we tend to put too many benches in, and concentrate them either in the wrong places or string them out in a nonsensical sort of manner.

Any one with me, or against me on that ?

To echo another earlier posting, good to see you back here Thomas,  Your strong landscape construction knowledge and keen observations of site design and the trumphs and maladies (seen and unseen) have been missed.

“Benches are artifacts the purpose of which is to punctuate architectural photographs.” – William H. Whyte, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

In the same classic book, Whyte gives ratios for amount of sittable space vs square feet of plaza (1 ft. per 30 sq.ft) and provides some guidelines for placement and orientation of sitting spaces.  In my experience of Millenium Park this summer, I don’t recall the number of benches I saw, but I do recall plenty of places to sit (walls, steps, raised slabs, movable chairs) in sun or shade. The variety of seating and how well it was being used that particular day, is what sticks out in my mind. I’m not against benches, per se, but I am against poorly sited benches and poorly planned spaces to put them in.

I’m more concerned about what is behind me when it comes to comfort on a public bench. I don’t think I’m alone on that.

that is a good point, andrew. I hate the configuration that trasit centers all use, of clumping a bunch of benches in the center of a space (nothing to guard your back at all), and placing each bench at a 90 degree angle to an adjacent bench.. the point of public spaces is to avoid strangers..a 90 degree angle makes it almost impossible..Better at a 180 degree, or even directly across..But 90 degrees? that is how friends touch knees, having conversations…

I geuss I need to create a sub-set, rob..the point of transit centers like Penn Station any greyhound station is to avoid people….Or how about the NYC subway system – wouldn’t you agree that you want the least contact with your fellow – riders as possible?

However, insofar as bars, concert halls – other types of ‘public spaces’ – I would agree, the statement does not apply..