Streetscapes
Mark Grotkiewicz
If implemented properly, street enhancement can
provide visual, economical, and psychological benefits for the urban environment. There
are several elements used to improve the streetscape; planting, lighting, seating, and
paving, to name a few. Each of these elements must be effectively designed and used in
order to create a sense of uniformity along the street. Streetscaping does not only
include items on the street and sidewalk; it also includes the buildings along them.
Without the buildings, there would not really be a street. Enhancing the street can create
a sense of identity for the neighborhood, separating it from surrounding areas. Well
designed streets create a safer and friendlier atmosphere for both pedestrians and
automobiles. Friendlier streets mean more pedestrians; more pedestrians mean more people
interacting with each other, thus brining the neighborhood together. Streetscaping leads
the way to putting the "unity" in "community," socially as well as
visually.
Throughout history, the uses and appearances of streets have changed. In ancient times,
streets were filled with people and animals either walking or pulling carts. Laws were
eventually established that specified dimensions for streets. Roman laws dating from 100
BC set minimum street widths at 15 feet. As buildings grew taller, many streets became
dark, narrow passages. In 15 BC Emperor Augustus set the maximum building height at 66
feet; fixed the dimensions of the decumanus, the major east-west street, at 40 feet; the
cardo, the major north-south street, at 20 feet; and the vicinae, the side streets, at 15
feet. He also set the maximum building height at 66 feet. In those days, pedestrians and
vehicles-carriages, carts, and wagons-shared the same path. As cities expanded, so did the
streets, in order to carry the increasing amount of traffic. Sidewalks were added along
the sides to separate foot traffic from vehicle traffic.
Streets were once filled with shoppers, vendors, horses, and buggies. As the amount of
technology increased, so did the structure for supporting the technology. After the car
became popular, people stopped using the street for walking. As a result, the appearance
of the street became more mechanically oriented. Candle lamps led to gas lamps, which led
to electric lamps, all attached to poles along the street. Telegraph and telephone poles
were erected to support wires. Electricity added even more poles on the streets to carry
power to buildings and streetcars. Stores used signs on the street to advertise products.
Automobiles introduced traffic signs and parking meters to the streetside. The city became
a "jungle of posts and products," creating visual chaos along the street. As
more and more "things" were added to the street, less and less people used it.
The shift toward an auto-oriented society greatly scarred the appearance of the street,
making it seem unfriendly to pedestrians.
The rapid sprouting of suburbs did not help either, as the people who once live in the
city could now live outside the city where more land was available to build big-box stores
and malls. Not only could people live outside the city, they could also work, shop, and
play out side the city as well. Thus, with fewer customers, the commercial districts
within the city began to decline. In some parts of the city, lower-income families moved
into the neighborhoods which once belonged to the new suburbanites. Lower-income city
residents did not have enough money to upkeep their stores, houses, and yards, so the
street appearance became even more unattractive. In order to improve the cold, harsh
appearance of the street, cities have made an effort of improving the street scene by
making the right-of-way more inviting for pedestrians. Every item along the street, from
paving to treetops contributes to the experience of traveling down the street. The
experience must be pleasing in order to attract people. All the elements of the
street-lighting fixtures, plantings, facades, paving, etc.-must be organized together in
order to create a healthy, enjoyable, successful street.
The element of street design used the most by people is what they walk on-the pavement.
The prototype for today's city street can be traced back to the days of the Roman Empire,
when streets were paved with basalt slabs and lined with elevated sidewalks paved with
peperino stone. Later, other materials, such as cobblestone and even wood, were used for
paving streets and sidewalks. Eventually, concrete and asphalt became the primary
materials used to pave urban paths because of their low costs for materials, installation,
maintenance, and replacement. Unfortunately, slabs of concrete and asphalt are not very
pleasing to the eye. Visually pleasing paving materials add texture, scale, rhythm,
and color to the street experience. Concrete pavers are manufactured in standard units
that can resemble bricks or work together as interlocking shapes. Poured concrete can have
a variety of textures added to the mixture to create interesting visual effects Brick
comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, making it a perfect paving
material. The standard units allow for an obvious rhythm on the ground. Stone is a paving
material that is always readily available. It can be cut to any size or left natural.
Asphalt pavers offer many shapes and colors, but does not allow as much variety of
textures.
Plantings add a bit of green, softness, and nature to the
often gray, hard, man-made city. Along the street, plantings come in the form of trees,
shrubs, and lawns. Tree spacing applies a rhythm along the street. Because plants are
natural, they are always changing, contrary to man-made materials. Plants change
seasonally, adding interest to the streetscape, whereas man-made objects go through
relatively little change aside from weathering, which is a gradual process over several
years. Plantings have a variety of different shapes, colors, and textures according to the
species that are used.
The accessories for urban plants should be integrated into the streetscape also. Tree
grates become part of the paving pattern, allowing wider walking areas and compliment the
rhythm of the sidewalk. Water and air reach the roots through holes in the grate. In some
cases, special lights are built into the grates for illuminating the trees at night.
Planters and pots must be well designed for proper drainage and plant growth. They are
commonly made of wood, stone, or concrete. Potted flowers, like deciduous trees, add
seasonal color to the streetscape. Pots and planters can be moveable, allowing the scene
to change, or they can be permanent fixtures. Seating can be incorporated into planters,
doubling their function.
Street lighting creates a sense of security on the street at night, thus allowing street
activity to continue after the sun sets. Lighting can create a rhythm along the street
through pools of light and pole placement. Lights can also accentuate trees, sculptures,
fountains, buildings, and other street elements. Lights are very noticeable at night;
light poles are very noticeable during the day, so their design must fulfill its function
at night, as well as being visually pleasing to look at during the day. Proper light
sources, incandescent, fluorescent, and high-intensity, must be used to meet lighting
purposes-spotlighting, pedestrian lighting, building lighting, street lighting etc. As for
light poles, material, style, shape, and scale are important design factors that need to
be considered. There are several styles of light poles used; many imitate a specific
architectural period. A wide selection of materials for poles are available, including
wood, cast iron, steel, aluminum, concrete, and plastic. Standard light sources and poles
should be used throughout the streetscape.
Graphic design of streetscaping refers to signage. Signs provide information about
buildings, streets, and traffic control in order to make the street a safer place for
pedestrians and motorists. Messages, lettering, scale and placement of signs should relate
to each circulation mode in order to reduce confusion. Traffic signs and lights should
relate to motorists, pedestrian signs should relate to pedestrians. Graphics should be
arranged so as not to clutter the streetside. Signs, signals, and lights can be mounted on
the same pole to reduce the amount of objects along the street. Lettering, color, and
shapes of signs should be consistent and easily recognizable. Signs on buildings should
relate to the architectural style. Ordinances can limit shapes, size, color, material, and
hanging of signs on buildings to reduce unsightly clutter.
Sculptures and fountains are other streetscape elements that need to be carefully designed
and used. They enhance the street environment and appearance, making the street more
enjoyable and memorable. Scale, size, form, material, and color of sculptures must be
considered for them to relate to their surroundings. Sculptures are made of a variety of
materials including wood, metal, stone, concrete, masonry, and plastic, all of which must
be able to withstand the natural elements. The color of a sculpture usually depends on the
material being used. Placement of sculptures is also a design consideration, as they will
either blend in or stand out of their surroundings. Context, shade and shadow, and viewing
positions also effect sculptural design.
Water is a natural element that has always attracted people, especially when they hear or
see it in an urban setting. Fountains and pools add interest to an otherwise dull street.
A virtual limitless amount of creative possibilities lie within the properties-the sound,
feel, and reflectivity-of water. Various methods and hardware are used to create the
effects of sprays, waterfalls, reflections, and sounds in fountains. Water can be moving,
as in a fountain, or static, as in a reflecting pool. Other design elements like seating,
lighting, and sculpture can be incorporated into fountains and pools.
Pedestrians walking down the street need places to rest, therefore, seating is an
important element of the streetside. Benches and tables are made of several different
materials including wood, metal, stone, concrete, and plastic. They also come in a variety
of shapes, colors, and sizes. Commonly, benches with backrests on them are wood, metal, or
plastic. Concrete and stone benches usually do not have backrests and are usually found as
elements integrated into planters or fountains. Different arrangements of seating areas
encourage different activity. Separate benches create privacy while groups of benches
stimulate interaction between people. Benches and chairs with tables allow a place for
eating. Seating areas need to be situated so they provide comfort for the users; they
should be shaded from the sun and placed away from the street edge and away from
automobile traffic. Streets allow places for cars to park, so they should allow places for
people to park too.
Other elements add to the experience and function of the street. Public telephones have
several different enclosure designs ranging from individual phones in booths or mounted on
poles to phone banks. Phone designs should be inviting to users, and able to withstand
weather and vandalism. They should be integrated into the surrounding streetscape. Kiosks
are placed along the street as bulletin boards, directories, and displays. Their design
should be colorful and dynamic to attract the attention of pedestrians and add some
variety to the shapes and colors of the occasionally boring street. Shelters and canopies
provide protection from harsh sunlight, precipitation, and wind. They should be
comfortable, safe, and inviting for people to use. Lighting, planting, seating, and other
amenities such as phones and bulletin boards can be integrated within shelters and
canopies. Trashcans come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Cans should be
places in spots where pedestrians will notice them and actually use them. They should not
be tucked away out of sight or else they will not get used; but they also should not be
the most dominant piece of street furniture on the sidewalk. The City of Milwaukee has
implemented several examples of successful streetscaping. Brady Street has its own
character through its design. In order to recapture the feel of the historic mixed use
residential above retail is encouraged along the street. This establishes a population of
residents to shop at the stores along Brady. People do not have to get into their cars to
drive to the store; they can walk. This gets people to interact with each other, bringing
the neighborhood together. Though not typical of modern streetscaping, Brady Street has
kept its overhead wires and poles, to reflect the appearance of the street as it was in
the late 1800s early 1900s. Oftentimes the wooden poles are used to post advertisements
and flyers for local events at pedestrian eye-level.
Automobile traffic along Brady is noticeably slower than
other, non-enhanced streets in the city and pedestrian traffic is higher. Crosswalks along
Brady Street have green colored pavers embedded into the asphalt instead of the usual
white lines that are normally used which add to the clutter of the street. All of these
design considerations relate to the history of the street and effectively ties the blocks
together, thus creating an identity for Brady Street.
Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward is an entire neighborhood that recently underwent
redesign. In its early days, the Third Ward was a thriving neighborhood of shops, offices,
apartments, and warehouses. Eventually time took its toll on the area and it declined
severely. In order to spark renewed development within the neighborhood and adjacent to
Downtown, the City enhanced the streets of the Third Ward. Today, overhead signs arched
over the main streets mark the major entries into the neighborhood. New lighting fixtures
reminiscent of Milwaukee's past line the streets. Decorative street name signs provide a
change from the standard signs used throughout the rest of the city. Other fixtures such
as benches, a gazebo-like shelter, and planters enhance the quality of the streetscape and
invite pedestrian activity. Unity is established along the street through use of similar
colors for metal light and sign poles. The brick, concrete, metal, and wood used as
building materials is reflected in the materials used for planters and benches. Everything
works together to create a definite identifiable place within the city. According to the
recently unveiled plans for the downtown area of Milwaukee is a proposal for a public
market in the Third Ward, just like in the early days, which would generate even more
activity with community residents as well as visitors.
Although technically not on a street, Milwaukee's RiverWalk contains several elements
important to streetscaping. The RiverWalk is a pedestrian pathway through downtown
Milwaukee along the river. There is an interaction of nature-the river-with people.
Historically, the river was an important transportation route in the city that gradually
became ignored, until recently. Old walkways behind buildings along the river were again
opened up and new walkways were built were ones did not exist. Milwaukee's traditional
harp light illuminates the RiverWalk at night, allowing activity after dark. Different
paving patterns and level changes add interest and a sense of adventure to the walk.
People use the RiverWalk mostly during spring, summer, and autumn, when weather is more
favorable to pedestrian activities like walking, eating outdoors, and tourism. Eventually,
the RiverWalk will extend south through the Third Ward to the Lakefront, with
possibilities of northern and western extensions until it becomes one entity connecting
several districts of the city.
Milwaukee's Downtown Plan also calls for improvements on Kilbourn Avenue, a major
east-west axis through downtown connecting the Lakefront, City Hall, and the Courthouse.
With the Courthouse elevated on a hill on the west side of downtown, a dramatic approach
from the east side needs to be created. The existing condition of Kilbourn is
auto-oriented and very pedestrian unfriendly. The plan asks for streetscaping improvements
to Kilbourn including streetside trees, a redesigned boulevard, and lighting improvements
to better link the east and west parts of Downtown along
Kilbourn.
The segment of Wisconsin Avenue, the main street of
Downtown Milwaukee, fronting the new Midwest Express Center has been newly streetscaped.
Trees were added along the street. Benches along the sidewalk double as large organic-like
sculptures. Red concrete bricks mark off the crosswalks instead of white lines.
Old-fashioned harp lights line the street. Further redesigning of Wisconsin Avenue is in
the works.
Streetscaping is a design strategy of organizing the
elements of the street and sidewalk into a visually pleasing manner, which enhances the
experience of walking and driving down the street. Historically, streets were once filled
with people, but advancements in technology brought about changes to the appearance of the
street until it became an unfriendly experience. Decaying commercial districts within the
city did not help the street environment. Streetscaping is used to combat the harshness of
modern streets by adding a touch of softness to the rights-of-way. Softening the cold,
hard appearance of the city attracts people back out to the streets, encouraging
interaction among people. It also makes the urban environment friendlier to pedestrians
and vehicles. Street enhancement establishes an identity, a character, and a sense of
place that makes one street or neighborhood different than another. Several elements are
used to make streets more beautiful. Each element has its own shape, color, texture, size,
and material which must be designed carefully in order for the street to come together as
a whole, unifying the urban corridors.
Mark Grotkiewicz is a graduate urban
planning student at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.