Why Some Public Spaces Are Always Full

Cities that work mix everything—not just buildings—together.

What attracts people most, it would appear, is other people.

—William H. Whyte

In Valencia, plazas are rarely empty.

In the United States—and many places around the world—they often are.

That isn’t a shot. It’s just reality. And there are reasons for this, rooted in urban planning.

At the end of today’s post, there’s a video I’d love for you to watch. It’s part of some of the most influential research ever conducted on public space. But—obviously—not influential enough, as we see city after city continue to make the same mistakes.

Plazas across cities like Valencia work for several reasons.

All of them trace back to one thing.