TOWN SQUARE REFERENCES
- 20 Town Squares - Town Centers and Plazas to Visit - House Beautiful https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/g3865/town-squares/ Oct 26, 2016 ... These 20 town squares are the best places for people-watching, relaxing and spending an afternoon.
“Small towns have a special place in our hearts. We've found the best spots for antiquing, leaf peeping and of course living. But let's not forget the best part of any city: The picturesque town square. These 20 plazas are the absolute best places to people-watch, relax and spend a lazy afternoon.”
About half of the examples are gathering places, public open spaces not defined by buildings but including gardens, a focal point such as a statue, gazebo, fountain or clock tower. One example at least appears to be a pedestrian walkway between shops in adaptively reused historic buildings.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/americas-most-beautiful-town-squares Mar 27, 2013 ... Town squares across the U.S. were built to inspire that kind of goodwill and ... More than 75 colorful buildings dating back to the turn of the 20th ...
“I live near Decatur Square, so I just walk out my door when I get a craving for a particular food,” says Susan Puckett, 56, a cookbook author in Decatur, GA.Not only is her hometown square accessible and buzzing with activity, it’s also picturesque—with a traditional courthouse and a gazebo illuminated nightly, as well as public art. Valentine is a life-size sculpture of an older couple on a bench, heads leaning together. “Every time I walk by, it makes me happy,” reflects Puckett.
Town squares across the U.S. were built to inspire that kind of goodwill and be the hearts of their communities, often with stately landmarks like a courthouse and surrounding colorful shops and cafés. We went in search of the squares keeping that spirit alive, emphasizing smaller towns (populations of 50,000 or less) and those such as the Yavapai Country Courthouse Plaza in Prescott, AZ, that have been honored by organizations like the American Planning Association and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In New London, CT, Parade Plaza reopened in 2011 with a 100-seat amphitheater and the Whale Tail Fountain, where kids like to splash around. The improvements complement longtime attractions at the square like the schoolhouse where Nathan Hale once taught. At similar squares, farmers’ markets, free concerts, and holiday celebrations keep locals and visitors entertained year-round.
“By day, locals have breakfast or lunch or shop there,” says Jordan Hoefar, of The Square in San Marcos, TX. (Try Rhea’s Ice Cream, which specializes in unconventional flavors like avocado-coconut and maple bacon.) “By night, the square becomes a popular bar scene,” adds the Austin-based public relations specialist.
The bar scene around Court Square in Bardstown, KY—one of the nation’s prettiest with a gingerbread-trimmed brick courthouse—revolves, naturally, around bourbon, while Jackson, WY, has its own regional spin. Jackson Town Square gets a Wild West look from four massive arches made of elk antlers and from the scenic backdrop of the Teton Mountains. Saunter over to the nearby Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with saddle barstools and a crowd known to include off-duty ranchers, tourists, and the occasional celebrity.
Set your sights on a road trip or weekend getaway to one of these small towns, and make the square your first stop.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Town_squares Town squares — including city squares, civic centers, urban squares, plazas ( Spanish language), and ... Wikipedia categories named after town squares (20 C) ...From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Pages in category "Town squares"
The following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
A
C
F
G
I
K
M
O
P
S
“A town square is an open public space[1] commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, piazza, plaza, and town green.
Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets, concerts, political rallies, and other events that require firm ground. Being centrally located, town squares are usually surrounded by small shops such as bakeries, meat markets, cheese stores, and clothing stores. At their center is often a fountain, well, monument, or statue. Many of those with fountains are actually called fountain square.
List of City Squares by size, tableThis article lists the 250 largest city squares in the world in descending order of area. The areas given are as noted in the articles and references provided, but may not be directly comparable.
There are also lists by continent and by country. Here is the US list:
United States of America
- Copley Square – Boston, Massachusetts
- Post Office Square – Boston, Massachusetts
- Freedom Square – Boston, Massachusetts
- Niagara Square – Buffalo, New York
- Inman Square – Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Kendall Square – Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Union Square – San Francisco, California
- Porter Square – Somerville, Massachusetts
- Sullivan Square – Somerville, Massachusetts
- Union Square – Somerville, Massachusetts
- Stearns Square – Springfield, Massachusetts
- L'Enfant Plaza – Washington, D.C.
- McPherson Square – Washington, D.C.
- Mount Vernon Square – Washington, D.C.
http://www.bestchoicereviews.org/50-best-small-town-downtowns-in-america/ Median Age of Residents: 47.5. Median House Price: $360,608. National Ranking: #10 on the Smithsonian Magazine Top 20 Small Towns to Visit List ...
By Kristen Fescoe
Posted January 2015
Posted January 2015
Small town Americana is alive and well across the entire United States. With thousands of sleepy towns and beautiful villages, a new idea of an American downtown has emerged. Gone are the days of a downtown area with a post office, market and police department. What has taken the place of this outdated notion are unique and eclectic downtown areas full of energy, entertainment and accessibility for Americans of all ages. Small towns have become the central gathering places for residents and visitors of the many small towns and cities across the country. Many of these downtowns have rich history and culture attached to them. In addition to their history, many of these small downtowns are now places to shop, unwind, dine, attend festivals, hear music and so much more.
Ranking Methodology
This ranking list has been created to outline the top fifty small town downtowns in America. We have defined a small town as a city or town with full time residency of 15,000 or fewer citizens. The data used for this measure was the 2013 United States Census. Attention was specifically paid to those towns that have been named on a respected ranking list for Best Small Town, Best Main Street or Best Downtown. These respected ranking bodies include Parade Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Fox News Travel, Travel and Leisure, Livability or Huffington Post Travel. A third consideration was given to the median income of the town, median home price as well as the median age of the residents. While no preference was awarded to towns with higher or lower median age of residents, it is good information for potential visitors or residents. We paid close attention to the general appeal to the downtown area, including such things as general appearance, festivals or special events, dining, shopping, entertainment, arts and culture, parks, proximity to airports and hotels amenities available. The goal of this ranking list is to find the best small town downtown areas for both residents as well as visitors to the area.
https://www.touropia.com/city-squares-around-the-world/ Oct 24, 2017 ... But besides these similarities, town squares also have their own unique history. Today, we look at some of most famous city squares around the ...
Data and pictures of 14 famous squares…I have been in 4 of them.
https://www.visitcalifornia.com/feature/9-historic-town-squares Check out historic town squares across California that have Gold Rush and ... in conjunction with the towns' settling, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Did not pursue
https://www.pps.org/category/squares Across many cultures, squares have served as the civic soul of entire neighborhoods, towns, and cities. A movement is now afoot to re-establish these ...middle ages to the 20th century. ... Old Town Square, Prague – Old Town Square is a historic square in the Old Town ...
10 PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL SQUARES
NOV 30, 2005
38
“The ten principles below are based on the hundreds of squares--the good and the bad--that we've analyzed and observed since then. What stands out most is that design is only a small fraction of what goes into making a great square. To really succeed, a square must take into account a host of factors that extend beyond its physical dimensions.
1. IMAGE AND IDENTITY
A popular square in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Historically, squares were the center of communities, and they traditionally helped shape the identity of entire cities. Sometimes a fountain was used to give the square a strong image: Think of the majestic Trevi Fountain in Rome or the Swann Fountain in Philadelphia's Logan Circle. The image of many squares was closely tied to the great civic buildings located nearby, such as cathedrals, city halls, or libraries. Today, creating a square that becomes the most significant place in a city--that gives identity to whole communities--is a huge challenge, but meeting this challenge is absolutely necessary if great civic squares are to return.
2. ATTRACTIONS AND DESTINATIONS
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco.
Any great square has a variety of smaller "places" within it to appeal to various people. These can include outdoor cafés, fountains, sculpture, or a bandshell for performances. These attractions don't need to be big to make the square a success. In fact, some of the best civic squares have numerous small attractions such as a vendor cart or playground that, when put together, draw people throughout the day. We often use the idea of "The Power of Ten" to set goals for destinations within a square. Creating ten good places, each with ten things to do, offers a full program for a successful square.
3. AMENITIES
Circular benches provide a comfortable place to sit in Rockefeller Center, New York City.
A square should feature amenities that make it comfortable for people to use. A bench or waste receptacle in just the right location can make a big difference in how people choose to use a place. Lighting can strengthen a square's identity while highlighting specific activities, entrances, or pathways. Public art can be a great magnet for children of all ages to come together. Whether temporary or permanent, a good amenity will help establish a convivial setting for social interaction.
4. FLEXIBLE DESIGN
Tennis on the square, Copenhagen.
The use of a square changes during the course of the day, week, and year. To respond to these natural fluctuations, flexibility needs to be built in. Instead of a permanent stage, for example, a retractable or temporary stage could be used. Likewise, it is important to have on-site storage for movable chairs, tables, umbrellas, and games so they can be used at a moment's notice.
5. SEASONAL STRATEGY
The holiday market in New York's Union Square.
A successful square can't flourish with just one design or management strategy. Great squares such as Bryant Park, the plazas of Rockefeller Center, and Detroit's new Campus Martius change with the seasons. Skating rinks, outdoor cafés, markets, horticulture displays, art and sculpture help adapt our use of the space from one season to the next.
6. ACCESS
A short pedestrian crossing at Plaza Santa Ana in Madrid, Spain.
To be successful, a square needs to be easy to get to. The best squares are always easily accessible by foot: Surrounding streets are narrow; crosswalks are well marked; lights are timed for pedestrians, not vehicles; traffic moves slowly; and transit stops are located nearby. A square surrounded by lanes of fast-moving traffic will be cut off from pedestrians and deprived of its most essential element: people.
7. THE INNER SQUARE & THE OUTER SQUARE
Ground floor retail rings the edge of this square in Verona, Italy.
Visionary park planner Frederick Law Olmsted's idea of the "inner park" and the "outer park" is just as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago. The streets and sidewalks around a square greatly affect its accessibility and use, as do the buildings that surround it. Imagine a square fronted on each side by 15-foot blank walls -- that is the worst-case scenario for the outer square. Then imagine that same square situated next to a public library: the library doors open right onto the square; people sit outside and read on the steps; maybe the children's reading room has an outdoor space right on the square, or even a bookstore and cafe. An active, welcoming outer square is essential to the well-being of the inner square.
8. REACHING OUT LIKE AN OCTOPUS
A great square reaches out into the surrounding neighborhood, like Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Italy.
Just as important as the edge of a square is the way that streets, sidewalks and ground floors of adjacent buildings lead into it. Like the tentacles of an octopus extending into the surrounding neighborhood, the influence of a good square (such as Union Square in New York) starts at least a block away. Vehicles slow down, walking becomes more enjoyable, and pedestrian traffic increases. Elements within the square are visible from a distance, and the ground floor activity of buildings entices pedestrians to move toward the square.
9. THE CENTRAL ROLE OF MANAGEMENT
Attentive maintenance is an essential part of good management in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin.
The best places are ones that people return to time and time again. The only way to achieve this is through a management plan that understands and promotes ways of keeping the square safe and lively. For example, a good manager understands existing and potential users and gears events to both types of people. Good managers become so familiar with the patterns of how people use the park that waste receptacles get emptied at just the right time and refreshment stands are open when people most want them. Good managers create a feeling of comfort and safety in a square, fixing and maintaining it so that people feel assured that someone is in charge.
10. DIVERSE FUNDING SOURCES
Sponsorships can help fund events like Festa Italiana in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square.
A well-managed square is generally beyond the scope of the average city parks or public works department, which is why partnerships have been established to operate most of the best squares in the United States. These partnerships seek to supplement what the city can provide with funding from diverse sources, including--but not limited to--rent from cafés, markets or other small commercial uses on the site; taxes on adjacent properties; film shoots; and benefit fundraisers.”
Good principles. It is like buying clothing, or a car, there are certain basics but lots of details that must relate to the buyer, or local designer with public spaces.
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/45404/intech-designing_urban_squares.pdf Public squares are one of the significant public spaces in an urban environment. .... urban areas continued during 20th century and cities become more and ...
© 2013 Memluk, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
“Designing Urban Squares Murat Z. Memluk
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55826
1. Introduction The effects of fast changing economic and social conditions have increasingly become significant on how people use and shape their environments. The urban population has been dramatically increasing worldwide and consequently physical structure of the cities changes constantly, mostly in negative ways. As the population increases, the demand for infrastructure and facilities also increases. Privatization and decentralization are the two major concerns on the future of the cities and open public spaces. Contemporary urban environment is complex in many ways. It is more heterogeneous; more multicultural and more multiethnic. Increasing mobility, communication technologies and globalization leads to expansion of urban areas causing life style changes, thus use of public spaces. Carmona groups critiques of public space issues in two categories; (i) undermanagement of public spaces, and (ii) over-management of public spaces [1]. The first group focuses on poor design and function loss of public spaces. Increasing vehicle traffic, segregation of the user groups, neglecting public space, increasing private relations of individuals are among the reasons why “public life” declines and public spaces degrade. On the other hand the second group criticizes designers and authorities for undermining “publicness” of public spaces through commodification and homogenization. However, despite there is a dichotomy in criticism of public space issues, Carmona also states “these critiques represent two sides of the same coin” [2]. Public squares are one of the significant public spaces in an urban environment. Urban squares are open public spaces which reflect the cities’ identity and the communities’ cultural background. They are where people of the community gather and “urban life” takes place since the ancient times. As the fundamental component of the city structure, urban squares contribute to the image and prestige of the city. According to Levy (2012), the main difference between a public park and a public square is that “on a square, citizens are not
connected to manifestations of nature, but to the heart of urban culture, history and memory” [3]. In the last few decades, many urban squares have lost their function and role due to the 514 Advances in Landscape Architecture changes in use of public spaces. Hence, designing urban squares as both public and open spaces now require more importance and attention. Designing urban squares should be a part of urban design. Otherwise they become disconnected and meaningless, rather than being an integral part of the city. This chapter aims to investigate the current role and situation of urban squares and to develop design strategies in context of landscape architecture. First, I will begin with the history of public squares, and then explain the role of urban squares as open spaces. Finally, I will discuss design strategies for contemporary urban squares with design examples.
…
4. Conclusions Today as public spaces decline, concerns for the vitality and liveability of the cities increase. People are the main ingredients of the city and without public spaces it is impossible to establish a physical and mental connection between public and urban environment. Urban public spaces have been negatively affected by globalization and privatization. Furthermore increasing individualism has caused social fragmantation within the communities which presents itself in the changing use of public spaces. Internet has become a major component of our daily lives. Besides its economical, educational and time saving benefits, it has also dramatically changed public life. Internet has created virtual environments where people prefer to spend their time rather than going out. Social relations are necessary for the 528 Advances in Landscape Architecture cohesion of communities, and local and national identity. In this context, urban public spaces are important venues for creating social relations between people. Besides the social dimension, urban open spaces also contribute to the city image and overall quality of the physical environment. Decentralization and urban expansion are major issues in the sustainability of contemporary urban environments. If urban public spaces had not been ignored by urban designers and planners, decentralization might have been prevented to some point. As one of the significant open public spaces, urban squares are fundamental city elements in democratic and livable cities. Therefore it is needed to recreate and design urban squares to enliven the public life and establish social cohesion. In this chapter besides the literature review, I recommended some design basics in creating successful urban public squares. Besides the physical dimension of design process, psychological aspects should also be taken into account by urban designers and planners. Physical design of urban public spaces can only be successful if safety, comfort, engagement and satisfaction of users are provided. In summary basic design principles for urban squares can be listed as: ∙ To create identity, sense of place and contribute to the overall city image, ∙ To promote public use and participation, ∙ To encourage social activities, communication and social integration, ∙ To enhance the character of the environment, ∙ To create a public square which is legible, enjoyable and long-lasting, ∙ To create both physically and socially accessible environments, ∙ To achieve environmental sustainability and low-cost maintenance through environmental friendly design strategies. ∙ To promote art, cultural activities and entertainment. Urban public squares are more than just physical spaces; they have symbolic meaning for people. They are vibrant, active and interesting places. Most of the contemporary urban squares involve a historical value or importance for the community, as well as for the tourists and visitors. Hence, authorities should realize that urban public squares are essential for enhancing city image and community development. Unfortunately, modern Turkey couldn’t preserve many of its public squares, especially in metropolitan areas. What is now called a “square” often functions as crossroads and is occupied by vehicle traffic. Although traditional public squares in Turkish cities differ from European examples, they still have a cultural and social importance in public life. Hence, it is urgently needed to develop design and management strategies for urban public squares in order to prevent losing a vital part of the city and the community. Author details Murat Z. Memluk Department of Landscape Architecture, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey”
I have only copied the intro and conclusion but this is an excellent resource for the design of public spaces.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20141203-blood-on-the-streets Dec 3, 2014 ... There may have been earlier public squares, yet the ancient Greeks with ... while other Roman squares from the 1st to the 20th centuries are an ..
- “By Jonathan Glancey
3 December 2014
There may have been earlier public squares, yet the ancient Greeks with their agora, or central meeting place at the heart of their cities, made this form of urban space not just famous, but compelling too. Every public square since, not just in the Western world, but around the globe, has had something of theagora about it. This is where tradespeople and philosophers, poets and politicians rubbed shoulders and where, too, the public complained and demonstrated and, at times, were met, dispersed and even slaughtered by forces of the regimes they tried to take to task.
So, while the agora was a special and often hugely enjoyable place, it should be no surprise that it also gave us the word agoraphobia, a fear of public places. For centuries, and certainly today, public squares have been places of protest, of violence and even revolution. The roll call of disturbing public squares is long: Tahrir, Taksim, Tiananmen, Trafalgar. And this is just the entry for ‘T’. …”
Interesting but not relevant to my interests.
Research notes by Pete Pointner 12-12-18
Search Results
Web results
Nov 30, 2005 - Today, creating a square that becomes the most significant place in a city--that gives identity to whole communities--is a huge challenge, but ...
People also search for
People also ask
Web results
Jun 30, 2015 - How to build a city from scratch: the handy step-by-step DIY guide ..... and with a total floor area of 2.5 million square metres, housing theatres, ...
Town square. A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditionaltown used for community gatherings. Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets, concerts, political rallies, and other events that require firm ground.
You visited this page on 12/11/18.
May 7, 2013 - With most of the world living in cities, urban space is going to be at a premium, so we need to design ingenious and important ways to create ...
May 3, 2017 - Drexel Town Square is positioning itself as Oak Creek's new downtown, but ... Can a suburban “downtown” created from thin air succeed?
The ULI teams were made up of leading town center developers, public planners, architects ... lenges of creating sustainable town centers for their communities.
Past, Present, and Future: The Ingredients of. Town Centers. 2. Mixing and Arranging the Ingredients: The Menu of Town Center Design. 3. Current Trends: ...
One of the greatest inventions of the European city, indeed one could not conceive of most European cities without it, is the central town square or market place.
Apr 15, 2006 - No, the ingredient missing from many suburbs is a "town center," a place people head to for many different purposes -- to shop, dine, visit a ...
Dec 15, 2005 - Creating a New Town Square. 'It's a locus for the kind of civic trust and independence on which the idea of journalism, indeed democracy, ...