Category Archives: Elements

Elements

Elements of the Public Realm

Figure 1. Number and Categories of Signs

Signs are apart of our daily lives more than we realize. We interact with them because they are used to tell us important information such as traffic speeds, parking information, directions, and the various hazards in the environment. On University of Missouri – Kansas City Volker Campus, we have a total of nearly 400 signs. Signs on campus are mostly dedicated for wayfinding, and their are four different types of wayfinding signs.

Types of Wayfinding Signs

  • Identification – They are used to tell an person that they have arrived at their destination (Examples from above: School of Dentistry, Katz Hall
  • Directional – These are often used at junction area to guide people do their destinations. (Examples from above: 50th St. and Troost Ave, Charlotte St and 24th Terrace, Rockhill Rd)
  • Information – These are used to display broad useful information about a facility. (Examples from above: (Pedestrian signs, parking signs)
  • Regulatory – These set specific boundaries for a facility. (Examples from above: (No smoking, no skateboarding)
Figure 2. New Sign Recommendations

Even though we use signs regularly, UMKC falls short on using signs to more effectively communicate with visitors and students especially those who may not be as familiar with campus and those who require special accommodations. As examples, I have chosen a identification and directional sign located on campus. The first street sections shows how are current identification signs are displayed, and we have blue signs that have the name of the hall written in white located in the top corner. The second sections shows are directional signs which are tall blue signs that display names of halls with arrows pointing in their general directional, and more important facilities on top in a slightly increased font size with arrows pointing in their general direction.

I have laid out four new signs that can be used to replace the signs that exist on campus. The directional signs which are primarily used for vehicles should have symbols that have identity the use of the building, and the top of the sign should lead visitors and students to the most utilized buildings on campus such as the library or student union. Pedestrian signs are information signs that inform pedestrians of what the particular building has inside such as various departments, and we should be aware of the types of amenities located within such as bathrooms, and elevators. Our identification signs should serve the same purpose by informing drivers and pedestrians of the departments located within, and possibly including an international symbol for those fields. Finally, I think our regulatory signs should be replicate the schools spirit, and any visitor or student should be able to recognize these signs instead of being apart of the background.

Elements

What makes an effective crosswalk?

There are several different types of crosswalks which all have different psychological effects on both the pedestrian and the driver. It is my belief that the most effective crosswalks are the ones which change the monotony of driving. Many crosswalks are uncontrolled in our study area, meaning there are no traffic lights which signal to a driver that there is a pedestrian crossing. Streets like Troost and Paseo are difficult to cross and there are few, if any, crosswalks which lead to the park.

In the above image we can see the different kinds of features around a crosswalk. Some have flashing hazard lights, some are lit by streetlights in order to make the pedestrian visible during evening hours. Others are simply striped with a pedestrian crossing sign.

I believe the striping patterns are effective at telling pedestrians where to cross, but they are not great at getting drivers to slow down. Drivers are too accustomed to seeing striping on the roads, so it gives no sign that there could be anything special happening at a given intersection. Paving, however, does signal to the driver that this intersection is special. A change in paving gives the driver a change in mindset. Something different about the surface they are driving on lets them know that this is not just a street. Hazard lights can act in the same way. The lights on Rockhill Road are constantly flashing 24/7. Therefore, they cease to mean anything; they give no information to a driver. They flash whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing. However, the hazard lights in Olathe along Ridgeview Road flashing only if there are pedestrians crossing at that time. These lights provide new information to drivers which tells them to slow down.

Elements

Parking in the Public Realm

In Kansas City, there seems to be a wide variety of choices when it comes to where to park your car; however, not all parking is created equal. When observing the different types of parking around our study area and the KC Metro, one question came to mind: what makes good parking?

The photos above demonstrate qualities that make up good parking. The implementation of curb extensions or bump-outs create buffers between the roadway and pedestrians traveling on the sidewalks. These bump-outs provide protection for those on the sidewalk in the event a driver loses control of their car and drives over the curb. Bump-outs help to make roads more narrow, ideally making drivers more aware of their surroundings and pedestrians that may be walking nearby.

The middle photo shows a parking-protected sidewalk for pedestrians traveling to and from the Sunfresh grocery store located in the Linwood Shopping Center at Linwood Blvd. and Prospect in Kansas City. This protected sidewalk allows those traveling by foot from nearby transit stops to walk through the parking lot without fearing their safety by the potential of erratic drivers in the wide-open parking lot.

The photo on the right features planters with street trees that not only create shade for parked cars and pedestrians on the sidewalk, but also provide protection for those on the sidewalk. The parking provides a buffer between the lane of traffic and people on the street.

The bottom photo is located in the Brookside Shopping Center along 63rd street in Kansas City, Missouri. This parking lot is located behind the shops in Brookside, as not to take away from the storefronts and promote pedestrian traffic around the area. This area features many sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, creating an inviting atmosphere for those traveling by foot.

Diagrams for each photo listed above.
One of the Many Scottish Rite Temple Parking Lots

The Scottish Rite Temple parking lots are examples of poor parking choices in the Kansas City area. These lots are simply slabs of asphalt with little to no direction for cars or pedestrians walking to and from the temple. This lack of direction may create a dangerous situation for both drivers and pedestrians. The openness of the lot creates an uninviting atmosphere for anyone who may have to walk through the lot.

Diagram of Scottish Rite Parking

In addition to pedestrian traffic and protection, parking should also have adequate lighting so that both people in cars and on foot are seen and the area is well illuminated. Without proper lighting, parking lots feel dangerous and uninviting to anyone who may have to exit their car. In addition to the lights on the buildings, the parking lot for the Linwood Shopping center is well lit for both pedestrians and drivers, making this lot feel safe and helping people be seen by those in cars.

Lighting in the Linwood Shopping Center
Elements

Signs in Urban & Suburban Contexts

Signs serve two main purposes in cities; way-finding signs direct drivers and pedestrians through space, while commercial signs alert potential customers to business locations and retail opportunities. Each of these can appear in different forms depending on where they are located along the urban-rural transect.

I was interested in comparing the function of commercial signage in early suburbs, as found near 63rd Street & Troost Avenue, with older-growth corridors such as 31st Street at Union Hill.

At Union Hill, as in many urban contexts, signs are found attached to the buildings that house the businesses which they are advertising. Some extend out from the building facade, such as the House of Flowers sign; while others are painted directly onto walls, such as the Martini Corner sign. The same form works for a variety of businesses, as seen above with flower shops, print shops, and restaurants all having similar sign forms.

Urban areas feature a large variety in signage. The form of signs in these areas is shared by both local businesses and national chains.

One may also find non-permanent signage in these contexts. These may be sandwich-boards in the street-furniture zone of the sidewalk or banners and chalk-painting across large windows. The most dense of urban areas may also have mobile signs that travel the area on modified box trucks.

Note the signs extending from facades, mobile signs, transit-stop signs, and larger roof-top signs.

The signs which extend out from the building create a rhythm as one looks down the street and are scaled to the pedestrian eye. Generally a pedestrian will be able to see and comprehend a sign in this context from a block in either direction, a distance which many would consider easily walk-able.

In many cases, urban signs are most easily read by those travelling at slower speeds, in particular cyclists and pedestrians. Slow-moving automobile traffic may be able to comprehend the signs, but drivers travelling faster than 30 mph will have more difficulty taking note of these advertisements.

More signs extending from facade and temporary signs painted in windows. Marquees and cafe awnings can also function as signs.

Early suburban areas feature a unique mix of signage. The area of West 63rd Street is an example of an interesting transitional period in the form of signs.

Along the 63rd Street corridor many signs retain a pedestrian scale in size but their placement, relative to the buildings they reference, is beginning to show an auto-era character.

The signs noted above exemplify this mix. The POW! Martial Arts studio sign is painted directly onto the building’s facade, similar to the Ollie’s sign at Union Hill. The Brookside Professional Building sign is beginning to be out-of-scale with the pedestrian experience. It is taller than the average person and the prominent display of the street number seems designed to attract the attention of a driver who is looking for this address specifically. However, removed from its wooden stand in the median, the metal plate of the sign would not be out of place attached to the side of a building. The signs for 634 E. 63rd St. feature the hallmarks of auto-era signage. One sign in the set directs cars towards a drive-thru, while the other is a large rectangle atop a tall pole. The height and size of this sign is easily read by passing motorists but it towers over pedestrians.

Interestingly, just a few blocks away, at Troost Ave. and Meyer Blvd., the form of signage changes dramatically. Here, almost all signs are directly scaled to automobile traffic and ignore the pedestrian experience.


Pole-signs dominate many suburban landscapes with their height and garish colors. Motorists are surely enticed by these behemoths.

Signs in an auto-centric area often take the form of large symbols atop tall poles. Frequently these signs are a great distance from the buildings which they reference. These are often paired with smaller signs at the entrance to parking areas. The tall signs grab the attention of passing motorists through their large symbol and often garish coloring. Once a motorist has been attracted by the pole sign, the matching way-finding signs direct the driver from the street into a parking lot. This form is very often associated with fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and other franchised brands with nation-wide reputations. The fact that these signs appear in the same form around the country contributes to the suburban reputation for bland sameness.

Pole-signs are often paired with small way-finding signs at parking entrances. Car lots are notorious for their attention-grabbing variety in signage.

In an area where the rhythm of tall pole-signs has become commonplace; some businesses have resorted to outlandish variations in signage. Car sales lots and tax-assistance businesses have become notorious for their attempts to grab the attention of speeding motorists.

Strip malls often have large, boxy signs which feature a tenant list. Box stores are often hundreds of feet away from their road-side pole signs.

The overall effect of the signage in the early-suburb transect is one of overwhelming size and color. The pedestrian experienced is ignored in favor of attracting those travelling by car. The proliferation of national chains, and their associated sign-patterns, give suburban areas an interchangeability that harm any place-making efforts.

Elements

Entrance Vibes

When looking at the public realm, I was assigned entrances. I was confused at first because it could mean entrances to buildings, districts, parking lots, private homes, etc. So, I walked the corridor and looked at what it had to offer. I was looking at private home entrances and then thought about how this is elements of the public realm and I wanted to focus more on entrances that could be used by anyone. I focused in on coffee shops/bakeries, restaurants, and office buildings. I started with 2/3 of the photos being on the corridor and then went all throughout Kansas City to see how the same business types compared.

I started to draw theories about entrances so I wanted to go to the Country Club Plaza and see how my theories compared to a part of Kansas City most people consider to be successful. I noticed the Plaza had most of my theories apply and those are what I will explain now.

In all these entrances I noticed things that I thought made a good entrance. I picked put five words – captivating, walkable, inviting, protected, and noticeable. I think an entrance needs to be captivating in order to grab someone’s attention and make them want to see what is inside. That being said, it needs to be walkable, which, to me, means the entrance should be on the sidewalk or close to it. Entrances with big parking lots in front aren’t places you stumble upon but rather a quick errand. It also needs to be inviting because there are places where you feel like you can’t go in because you aren’t from around there or it feels too exclusive. Entrances should also be protected which goes along with the walkability because they need to be protected from cars by having a big green buffer or a row of parking. i noticed along 63rd towards Rockhill I felt very unsafe crossing intersections because the speed limit is so high and there is nothing between me and the cars. However, in Brookside on 63rd I felt safer because of the crosswalks and the street parking to block me. Lastly, entrances need to be noticeable and not blend in with the building. I noticed it more in office buildings where the building will be a few stories high but the door is so small and barely noticeable.

All in all, these are just my theories and what I think is important. the 63rd Street corridor has many successes and some failures just like every other place in Kansas City. This is definitely something I will need to keep in mind when redesigning a part of this corridor.

Elements

take A SEAT ON 63RD Street


Walking the 63rd street corridor, there were less places to sit than I anticipated. However, the uses and types of seating did vary greatly. When thinking about where to sit I automatically think of a black iron park bench, while many are found on the 63rd street corridor, that was not the only seating I came across. The main purpose of seating, I found along the corridor, was for bus transportation. Bus stops fill street corners and are classically accompanied by seating of some type. Few bus stops have awnings, for weather protection, while others consist of a bare bench with no shelter from the environment. Picture 1, in Figure 1, shows the typical bus stop seating, found on the corridor. Movable chairs and café style seating is my personal favorite type of seating because I have endless options of where to move my chair, but this type of seating is not commonly found along the corridor. More frequent café style seating was found in the west area of our study area, in Brookside, but not on the east side of Troost Avenue.

The seating options I came across on the east side of Troost Ave were more exposed and out of scale compared to the surrounding atmosphere. Pictures 6 and 7, on figure 1, were found on the east side of Troost Avenue and directly faced vehicular traffic. Sitting in both areas made me feel vulnerable to the automobile, however, both seating options gave me a spectacular view. Picture 6 offers a pleasing view of the Convent of Christ the King and picture 7 allows me a sight of a historical monument, in one direction, and a view down the lush Meyer Boulevard, in the other direction.

Figure 1. Places to Sit Along 63rd Street Corridor created by Cristina Aurich 03/2019

Overall, after looking at the location of seating, with assessment to sidewalks, structures, and paved roads, scale plays a key role to where it is desirable to sit. Figure 2 shows the studied seating at plan view. Diagrams 3, 4, and 9 made me feel safe, and almost cozy, because of the proximity of structures, a row of parking, and coverage of vegetation. While diagram 8 allows the sitter to be more visible, there are endless options of where and how one can sit, and the view are infinite.

Figure 2. Diagrams in Plan View Corresponding to Images in Board 1 created by Cristina Aurich 03/2016

Of all the places to sit in Kansas City, Figure 3 shows my ideal places to sit. The steps of the Nelson Atkins Museum and Jacob L. Loose Park offer all the variety and views I want from public seating. Places to sit is a major element of the public realm and needs to be at the top of the list when redeveloping an area. Creating useful and enjoyable seating seems like and easy task, just throw a bench on the sidewalk every couple of blocks, when in reality, the planning behind seating really makes a difference in whether or not it serves its deliberate purpose.

Figure 3. Context Map Corresponding to Boards 1 & 2 and Views From Pictures 8 & 9 created by Cristina Aurich 03/2019

Elements

Breaking down parking

Manned Car by Bryce Morgan

Parking generally has been regarded as an unfortunate eyesore that in this day is unavoidably necessary. This reality is though not true but branded through cost-cutting and efficiency. Developers spend so much time making sure the interior and facade are well designed that the parking lot is often overlooked and is the first element that gets defunded.

There are so many different types of parking when really looking at each spot. There were 7 distinctly different types when looking at the 63rd street corridor, but each individual parking situation has nuanced differences that could warrant a new category. In reality there could be hundreds and thousands of different unique parking types.

When looking at building a parking lot there needs to be consideration taken to the interests and needs of the place it is built for, there is no one size fits all. There are four basic principles of any spot used for parking; flow, angle, runoff, and lighting (not to be forgotten, maintenance and cost of upkeep is of utmost importance in the longevity of a lot).

Flow is the directionality and opportunity of various means of getting around. This is important to think about especially for busy places. Imagine being in a parking garage around rush hour when everyone is trying to get out, a line starts to form as people allow other cars to back out and enter into enlarging line. This compounds and becomes a nightmare for everyone involved.

Angle is the way in which a parking spot is placed. The general angles are 45, 60 and 90 degrees, each having a specific place with benefits and costs. While 90 degree parking lots are able to be extremely efficient and allow for the maximum number of spots, they are entirely inefficient in getting in and out of the space. These types of spots are meant for a building where people go in and do not come out for hours, if not the whole day. The 40 and 60 degree spots are meant for places with high turn over — grocery stores, strip malls, and restaurants. These take up roughly 25% more room than the straight spots, which is why they are very rare for corperate buisnesses.

Water management is the main concern with the longevity and upkeep of a parking lot, water is the enemy of the built environment. Therefore, keeping a large portion of the area landscaped and porous, which looks quite nice actually as shown in this French Stadiums parking lot below.

Zénith de Strasbourg by Bryce Morgan

Lighting is the last, and regarding security is the most important part of a parking lot. The reality is that the parking lot can be where a person is the most vulnerable to crime. The most crucial part is visibility, having a place well lit ensures that the most eyes are looking out as possible.

Unfortunately a lot of developers see the parking lot as a last step, as formality that can just be poured and left be and not as an opportunity for enjoyability and sustainability.

The Landing Mall by Bryce Morgan

This is a typical scene that ends up as a relatively small place of business surrounded by a sea of grey asphalt. It is generally expected that a number of spaces are included per unit of commerce to coincide with demand, but at what cost?

There are many ways in which a parking lot can be elevated and pushed to a visually pleasing and environmentally friendly level, and hopefully this blog has helped show some ways in which a parking space can be more than just a place to park.

Elements

Street Furniture/Amenities

Object

Site

User

The Main Street Corridor from 30th to 51st contains several prominent examples of various street furniture and amenities. To create a taxonomy of street furniture types, I sub-categorized the elements into “seating,” “bicycle,” and “various” multi-use types. Further, I organized each ensuing board according to relationships between each element as an “object,” “site,” and “user.”

My chosen seating examples include bench seating with aggressive skateboarding and loitering deterrence (Westport Rd. and Main), a well-designed “outdoor room” (43rd and Walnut), and the gathering space/memorial at  Murray Davis Park (40th and Main).

The bicycle subheading includes the KC BCycle bike share kiosk (31st and Main), the mobius-strip bicycle racks at Capital Federal Bank (43rd and Main), and the meta-sculptural bicycle rack at 43rd and Walnut.

The “various” multi-use subheading includes the trash, recycling, and periodical containers at 39th and Main; the sculpted stone planter at 33rd and Main; and the Main Street MAX transit stop at Armour.

The underlying relationships between each element of street furniture/amenity involve “proxemic” spatial relationships.  The term proxemics, coined by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in The Hidden Dimension, describes the spectrum of distance that defines the functional space of each element.  I define each element on the proxemic spectrum between “intimate,” “”personal,” “social,” and “public.”  From this analytical starting point, the elements are further defined by their attention to accessibility, human interaction, and aesthetic continuity.  Displayed diagrammatically on the “user” board, each element comprises these themes with varying levels of success.  Overall, the elements which emphasize accessibility for differently-abled individuals, “sociopetal” (inward-facing, interactive relationships), and aesthetic continuity contribute most positively to the public realm.

 

 

Analysis, Elements, Uncategorized

Walls, Fences and Bollards

The Public realm is often defined as the space between the buildings. In this space is where people can walk, talk, meet, sit, and stay. There are certain design elements that benefit the Pedestrian experience, and some well intentioned design elements that failed. The issue of Human scale and continuity all contribute to the success or failure of an element.  I choose to study the region of Main Street from 31st to 51st, including the next closest streets, Walnut and Baltimore.

Walls

“Walls are put up in the mistaken notion that they will make a space feel safer. They make it feel isolated and gloomy.” – William Whyte

Most of the walls along Main Street fulfill the Main Street Plan’s requirement for screening a parking lot but they fail to add to the overall experience of the corridor. The purpose of these walls is ideal to help maintain a street edge and create a sense of continuity. However, because of the change in materials and scale, the walls become confusing and inconsistent.

 

Fences

According to the Kansas City Urban Design guidelines and the Historic preservation guidelines, fences should be low and reflect the house style. This should be done to help preserve the original historic material. However most of the fences I came into contact with were overwhelmingly utilitarian and non-compliant with the design standards.

 

Bollards

Bollards are used to help provide a barrier between the Pedestrian realm and the Automobile. They provide a visual and Structural deterrent and range in type and effectiveness.  The sacrificial nature of bollards allows them to stop vehicles and be easily replaced if necessary.  There are many types of bollards, permanent, movable, lighting bollards, in various shapes and sizes.