How nice is this? It's a shot of competition display night party for the recent Green Alleys Competition, in which architects took Seattle's alleys and made them livable. The one above is in historic Pioneer Square. Via MyUrbanist, who has a great 12-point list of urban "placemaking" principles with strong echoes of Christopher Alexander's A Pattern Language:
- Emphasize an alluring focal point.
- Use hanging green.
- Use simple, green plantings and encourage ornamental building features in the path of view.
- Where possible, enhance multi-level exposure to vernacular buildings amid the urban fabric.
- Provide varied forms of encounter with surrounding commercial uses.
- Celebrate exotic signage.
- Provide for a multi-color, mixed use environment.
- Together amplify angle, color and texture to highlight organic street life.
- Enhance structural features to frame places enroute.
- Celebrate the marketplaces of vending and dining.
- Make angles magical.
- Highlight iconic buildings.
Every Friday I'll post a favorite narrow street snapshot from somewhere around the world. Got a Friday favorite of your own? Send me your photos!