"It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished."
— William H. Whyte (via secretrepublic)
Washington Post article discusses the rise of street cafe culture in DC:
“The Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District, which conducts a survey of sidewalk cafes in that area, found a double-digit increase since 2009: from 95 in 2009, to 123 in 2010, to 135 this summer. More than 3,200 seats are available.”
Outdoor seating has been recognized as an important factor for successful urban spaces by William H. Whyte and others for decades. This metric is a great indicator of the positive changes happening to DC’s urban public life over the past few years. The District is fortunate for its ample supply of wide sidewalks, an asset other cities in North America don’t necessarily have.
Something I know many of you will enjoy: the entire film The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.
(Source: talkitect.com, via lifeonfoot)
