Pattern 69
Public Outdoor Room
Context Main Gateways53 · Accessible Green60 · Small Public Squares61 · Common Land67 · Pedestrian Street100 · Paths and Goals120
Problem
Outdoor public places are often either purely private or tied to spending money — a café, a shop. Without something in between, a place to simply be without needing a reason or a purchase, casual encounters become rare.
Solution
Give each neighborhood a half-public outdoor room, roofed over or held in by walls, where you can simply linger and pass the time without any pressure to spend a thing.
Usage Common Areas at the Heart129 · Path Shape121 · Activity Pockets124 · Building Edge160 · Outdoor Room163 · Courtyards Which Live115 · Arcades119 · Canvas Roofs244 · Stair Seats125 · Seat Spots241