The urban street : it's construction to public life and the utility of splendour

Abstract

Urban life on an urban street is valuable for a city and important to societies. Urban life becomes memorable when people are active in public spaces. The city used to be the centre for art, thought and other enriching relationships and had a promise of something more. The urban street must be seen interms of that splendour and contribution to public life. However, there is an apparent crisis in public life which results in the loss of public realm. There is disorder and people have lost all public life. The word 'city' once suggested 'civility' and those characteristics of culture and politeness which attend that term. Today, however 'city' means crisis - a crisis brought about by past neglect, present indecisiveness and future explosions of undetermined effects. The problem of the city has undoubtedly achieved a magnitude of attention in recent times. Concern with the problem of cities, is therefore more than simple idealism or passing academic fancy: it stems from fear and great apprehension. If urban problems are left to chance, or to indifference the results will necessarily be tragic. We see in cities of the world, places where man can no longer live in safety, with convenience, with a sense of security or with a feeling of human dignity. If urban streets continue to be taken for granted, and if it is not planned according to the many forecasts that are made, our cities will continue to decline. The public life that is so vital to our well-being will gradually disappear. But if the urban street is given the attention required, there is a possibility of bringing back the public life which is very important to society. Urbanisation and increased population densities will make the open spaces more meaningful and will demand the visual pleasure of well designed streets. The trends we observe today, require that we heighten the social and aesthetic effectiveness of these spaces. Accordingly, urban streets provide the real focus for designing and enhancing urban life. The urban street must become a 'place' in terms of social and physical criteria and, it must be seen in it's splendor, as something more than merely a thoroughfare. There should be opportunity for interaction and involvement among people, along the street that would enhance public life. It is necessary to take action to lead our cities to their survival and renaissance and this action must be guided towards one goal; to create a better city for man. Urban streets would play a vital role in this. In the future, we will be faced with a universal city, huge in proportion in relation to the present one, with many more people, much greater number of machines, but with far greater economic forces and technological and scientific knowledge. And the need for community life will be much greater. Accordingly, the urban street will contribute immensely in making this a human city, in which man can survive, and not allow it to destroy man and lead him to his end.