Public Spaces

promoting

Playful Interactions
Jody Dickerson - Malmö Högskola - Simon Fraser University - Spring 2009

Introduction
My goal in this project was to explore, through research and observations, the conditions which create positive public
spaces for pedestrian activity within urban areas. The areas in northern Europe that I have been able to observe directly
during the course of this project helped to develop a theory of the specific elements and conditions which encourage
spontaneous and playful interactions with the space itself and between individuals within it. These are resultant interac-
tions and thus highly affected by the quality of space.

I have chosen to focus on play because it has been shown to be a positive activity for individuals, encouraging interper-
sonal interactions between strangers, strengthening relationships between friends, promoting creative and flexible behav-
iors and also creating a positive experience which increases the sense of connection to and investment in the space in
which in happens. These positives feeling towards a space then discourages acts of vandalism and encourages individu-
als to protect the safety and usability of a space.

My goal has been to develop a theory on the conditions for interaction, as well as to identify elements which inhibit
playful behaviors. Also to not have directly interfered with the activity within a space beyond my own presence. One of
my first observations was that any form of surveillance inhibits playful, casual and spontaneous behaviors and so I
avoided directly or obviously photographing most observed behaviors.

Additionally, because of the large scale and complexity of urban spaces I have chosen not to attempt any direct experi-
mentation as the results of this would only be superficially relevant, and have instead relied on the research and experi-
ment of professional urban designers who have been able to fully design urban spaces on a large scale and then observe
directly the results of their design decisions.

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Methods
Research
My process for this project involved first doing in depth research into
written theories of urban and pedestrian centered design through the
works of Jan Gehl, Christopher Alexander and Weismann/Freddi.
To this I added both previous knowledge of human behavior, past
observations, and research through multiple sociological/social
science blogs and the work of Jane Fulton Suri.

Observations
The next stage in my process was to observe firsthand the way people
behave in many different urban spaces and situations, and to add my
own conclusions to those of the authors listed above. I looked first at
local squares which I had been able to observe over a longer period
of time but now came back to with a more critical and focused eye,
then I expanded and began traveling to different locations to observe
public streets and squares which have been approached in different
ways, and how climate and culture affect the functioning of a space.
My travels included trips to Helsingborg and Lund which were easy
to reach, then later to Stockholm, across the ocean to Helsinki, and a
flight to the UK where I was able to explore urban spaces in
London, Bath, Bristol and Oxford.

Precedent Studies
Through prior studies, online research and daily readings throughout
this project I have searched for examples of projects from the field of
interaction design that directly act upon or affect the urban elements
I have focused on in my study. I have found that many projects
employ a tactile sensory experience and a sense of agency and play
to engage users, but that many of the most effective applications of
technology in a space are passive, involving only lighting or sound
that improves the perception of a space.

Compilation
Throughout this process I continually modified and expanded my
theories, noted specific applications, and also paid careful attention to
the element that acted negatively, to discourage playful behaviors.
The final stage of this project was to compile all my notes and photos
as well as mental observations and to present these in a way that I
hope will be useful to future interaction designers.

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Relation to Interaction Design
This research could have a number of applications for the field of
interaction design; many interaction design projects take place in public
squares within urban centers, and knowing which elements are required
for a specific type of interaction. In this case playful interactions, is key to
siting an interactive project. Even a very well designed project, if placed
in a space that is not conducive to the type of behavior required or
simply a space where the pedestrian density is too high, will not work as
intended by the designer.

In some cases interactive technologies, such as light and sound, have been
used to improve the conditions of a space in the ways I will mention, and
these have sometimes been quite successful. The most common and
successful applications of interactive technologies to the design of public
spaces have been in replacing or enhancing other sensory experiences of
a space, such as grass and water, and encouraging the same sort of visual
or tactile play.

SMS Activated Lighting

A small town in Germany saves energy by turning out lights in streets and
parks at night, and if residents need the area lit they text a special number
on a lamp pole and the lights turn on, gradually fading back to dark
behind them. This improves safety for those moving about at night and
helps to condense nighttime activity.

Text Rain
An interactive installation where people use their bodies, projected on a
screen, to interact with letters falling from the top of the projector form-
ing digital rain - encourages kinesthetic play and also interaction between
participants. Would be difficult to implement in less controlled conditions
though.

Fiber Optic Wall

A wall in the Danish Design Center of loose fiber optic cables hanging in
a simulated waterfall encourages visual and tactile exploration. Similar to
the combination light/water wall at Solbjerg Square in Copenhagen.

Flow 5.0
A wall of motion activated fans blow air only around a person standing in
front of the wall, providing a playful and exploratory sensory experience.

Bion
A network of light and sound emitting nodes which react intelligently to
the presence of people within the room, first acting shy but then growing
curious and including the visitor within their conversation. This is not a
project which could be effectively implemented in a public space now,
but presents a future possibility.
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Relation to Past Projects
This project relates directly, in some way, to both of my previous projects this
semester. My place specific computing project, Take Me Somewhere,
involved a certain sense of play but was not otherwise related; but one of our
concepts for that project which was rejected was the concept of a bomb
shelter door being used as a trigger for sending media files, which involved a
definite sense of exploration for users as well as a sensory reward for discov-
ery, which is one of the prominent features of this project.

My critical design project, which was first an observation on public behaviors

and their motivations, is relevant to this project in that many of my observa-
tions have expanded on what I learned during that course. My concept for
critical design was overall unsuccessful as a critical project, but its goal was to
encourage people to play, or at least think playfully, about the signals
surrounding a crosswalk. Though not acutely critical design, it was a some-
what successful project for its own goals.

Both of these projects influenced my choice of topics for this project in that I
was expanding on research I had previously done. However, I mainly chose
those projects to begin with because I am interested in human behavior,
emphasis on play and in public pedestrian spaces in general.

Results
As a result of the research and observations I did over the course of this project
I have found a number of elements which, in my opinion, are necessary to
create a positive public space. I have also found that culture, climate and urban
context play a large role in the functioning of a space, and that the activities
both in and around a space effect the feeling of being in it as much as the
physical layout of the itself.

Positive Spaces
Positive public spaces are those which attract people to visit them through
location and climate, generally provide a purpose for being there and comfort-
able places to pause as well as either activities to watch or an overview of a
pleasant space, such as an ocean view or park space, while resting. This
element of something to watch is important as it gives people a valid public
reason to be in the square and something to occupy themselves with while
staying.

Inclusion
One of the measurable signifiers of a positive public space is that it will
welcome and be accessible to people of all ages, but especially to those most
vulnerable to poor conditions of climate, sound, location, safety or comfort.
Children have greater needs for space, safety and comfort than adults, espe-
cially protection from traffic, and will be present most often when a space
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accommodates their need for exploration, play and learning as well as the needs of parents for adult stimulation and
activity while watching children. The elderly have similar needs as children in terms of comfort and climate, and also
require a low enough pedestrian density to be able to move at their own pace, with our without assistance. Additionally,
elderly are often the most aware of the safety or lack thereof within a space, and are the most vulnerable due to limited
physical strength and mobility combined with a high level of independence.

Context
The context of a square is vital to its health, being critical to both
density and demographics. A square or pedestrian space works
best when it is near or between destination points in a city, such as
popular bars, restaurants, shopping areas and parks, as well as
being edged by buildings of interest. Pedestrian spaces need to be
accessible on foot, either by being walking distance from residential
or work places or accessible through transit.

Solbjerg Square, in Fredriksberg, Copenhagen, is located between a

high school, shopping mall, and school of business, and is situated
along a very well designed walking path a few minutes from the
underground station.

Climate
In addition to context urban squares need to have a pleasant climate
for as much of the year as possible in order to attract people to them
from the city around. In northern Europe spaces which are south
facing draw in as much sunlight as possible; spaces need good air
flow but also need protection from strong winds and the noise of the
surrounding city.

Nyhaven, Copenhagen, is lined by buildings on the north side,

providing wind protection, and opens to the south providing maxi-
mum light and sun.

Comfort
A comfortable square will have many places for staying; to
stand, sit or even sleep. A comfortable place to stand will
be out of the wind, with something to lean back against
and looking out into the space without being too visible. A
place to sit can be a bench or chair, the edge of a wall, or
simply a raised edge like a planter box or statue. Places to
lie down, to really rest, need to be comfortable and not too
open, protected from wind and hot sun, without being in
the way of activity.

Lilla Torg, in the center of Malmö, is small in scale with

plenty of protection from sun, cold and rain, and has
plenty of grounded places to pause. In summer when the
sun is high the square is bright and warm, and in winter it
is heated by the nearby cafes.
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Pedestrian Density
Pedestrian Density plays a large factor in the feel of a space, as
well as how accessible and flexible it is for various activities. A
street or square with too high a density limits movement to the
direction and speed of the majority, with no flexibility,
whereas a space with too few people feels uncomfortable and
any activity in it feels on display. At night spaces with low
density and poor lighting feel very unsafe and discourage
visitors. Density at night can be maintained by limiting all
activity to a few streets which condenses nighttime activities.

Leicester Square in SoHo, London, is a large square

surrounding by pedestrian streets; during the day the whole
square is open and people are present on the grassy center but
at night the center is dark with no people in it, and lighting
around the edges guides people to the outside near the open
shops, increasing the density of people in these areas.

Flexibility
One of the positive elements in any urban space is flexibility;
of paths, of seating, of use and of experience. The more
flexibility people have the more spontaneous behaviors
emerge and the more conscious people will be of their
choices. Flexible seating allows the space to accommodate a
large crowd or a few people without every feeling too full or
empty, and flexibility of use encourages many functions to
happen within the square, making it more interesting to those
in it and also more used at all times of the day and the year.

Trafalgar Square, in London, provides primary seating in the

form of a number of benches, but also provides flexible
seating and activity spaces on a wide stone staircase, around a
pair of large fountains and on a large obelisk monument.

Height
Variations of height within a space provide interest and
opportunities to explore as well as natural boundaries for
activities. Human vision is predominantly horizontal and
limited in range; activities happening above or below the
viewer are disconnected, and even small differences in height
provide a comfortable distance between the viewer and any
activity going on. Raised spaces provide natural boundaries
for rest or play, providing a natural boundary from other
movement within the square.

Gustav Adolfs Torg, in Malmö, has a two level design, provid-

ing seating with a view of the walkway, but also an edge that
people walk along, children play on and which encourages
people to lay back on the grass. Benches placed further back
on this ledge provide a view looking over the heads of people
instead of directly at them.
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Playful Spaces
In addition to requiring the elements of all positive public spaces, spaces which encourage playful behaviors do so more
effectively when they also include sensual elements which invite informal behaviors; heights and ledges, water, grass,
children playing or animals to watch and feed.
Water
Accessible Water is a large factor in encouraging playful
behaviors through tactile exploration and unpredictability as
well as the opportunity to interact with others, even strangers,
through splashing. I found water to be the most influential
element within a space in encouraging spontaneous playful
interactions in people of all ages, in different ways depending
on the structure of the feature and the form the water took in
the space.

Cotton Centre, on Queenswalk, London, had a couple of

water jets shooting out of a depression in the ground. These
jets had a steady stream of children playing, dogs drinking,
people getting sprinkled and bikes riding through them.

Grass
Grass, like water, encourages tactile exploration and play, but
also lends itself to resting, both sitting and laying down
through a connection to natural spaces as well as city parks.
While movement on pavement is controlled and often linear,
grass encourages people to move more slowly and consciously,
resting anywhere that is out of the direct route.

At Stonehenge monument people move linearly and only

walk on the paved path, but when the path turns to grass
people sit or lay down and children run and play, moving
through in a much less organized way. Additionally, the
raised grass section at Gustav Adolfs Torg has a number of
adults resting on it as well as pets laying around and children
running and playing.

Climbing Places
A space which is not normally accessible has appeal to
certain visitors in a space; for adults it’s a place to look over
everything, or to be on display, or sometimes to be hidden
from view, and for children climbing up a rock or a statue is
a sign of strength, of being big enough and old enough to
make it up. The appeal for both groups is in being in a
place that not everybody can get to.

An obelisk statue in Trafalgar Square provides seating and a

space both on display and providing a view of the square for
those able to climb it, restricting access by requiring a
non-standard form of movement, encouraging those who
do climb to then play on the large lion statues positioned
around the monument.
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Negative Spaces
Overscale
Spaces which are too large for the number of people occu-
pying them feel empty, exposed and sometimes echoing, and
this discourages any activities even remotely culturally
unacceptable or abnormal. Large open spaces, especially
those surrounded by shadows, feel especially vulnerable at
night when visibility is low.

An example of this is Sergelstorg in Stockholm, which has a

fair number of people passing through it, but not enough to
effectively fill out the space, and the middle is left feeling
empty with no reason to be so large and open.

Ownership
Spaces with a strong feeling of ownership, real or perceived,
are undesirable to remain in and stifle any creative or
spontaneous activities for most people. Towering buildings
which shade a space, buildings which front too closely or
private residences too open to the square all create a sense of
ownership and discourage public use.

In Prop de la City, a glass covered square in London which is

roofed over and surrounded by towering office buildings, the
only people in the square are those employed to clean it and
those who work in the office buildings directly fronting on it.
Surveillance
The feeling of being watched discourages many forms of
behavior and decreases the activities in a space to mostly
necessary activities such as passing through on the way to
work. Spaces which are under heavy surveillance, either by
cameras or by authority such as police or security guards
stifle any abnormal, spontaneous or playful behavior
through fear of being watched, judged or punished.

The public square outside Buckingham Palace has a large

number of royal guards, more than ten police present and
many highly visible CCTV cameras.

This hole in the urban fabric of London, called Forum Magnum

Square, faces northwest, contains no organic or natural elements, has
no flexible or even inflexible seating and no protection from the traffic
noise of the busy streets on either side. It was empty except for a few
people hurrying across it, and completely devoid of any signs of
activity or anything to interest someone is staying.
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Research Contribution
Through extensive documentation of my research, both review of literature and firsthand observations, I hope that I
have created a guide for other designers into the kinds of public spaces to look for when siting an interactive project
within the city that requires any form of casual interaction or play. The area that I have explored is a small part of the
field of urban design, and possibly gaining this basic knowledge will encourage other designers to move forward, explor-
ing the area of playful spaces further or expanding to look at many more types of interactions and different public
spaces. I hope that my project has a strong basis and will remain relevant for future designers as interactive and embed-
ded technologies move forward and more into the public realm.

Through this project I have personally learned a great deal, about urban design and public spaces, about research and
documentation, and about organization, presentation and critique, which I will apply to future projects and in my
continuing studies.

Conclusion
From my research and observations I have concluded that spontaneous playful interactions cannot be forced, but will
occur more frequently when certain conditions of space, climate, sound and light are met, and creating these conditions
in an effective and interactive way could be a step towards better spaces and more playful interactions within a city.

The next step in this project, if it were to continue further, could be either to move into an application of these findings
and develope a concept within a public space that does improve the conditions within a space.

The other option, however, would be to continue this research with further depth, looking at both a greater span of time
and a greater breadth of cultures, because my limited observations have shown that culture may also play a large part in
what constitutes a good space or a bad one.

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References
Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., & Silverstein, M. (1977). A Pattern Language. Oxford Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press.

Alexander, C., (1964). Notes on the Synthesis of Form. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Gehl, J., (1987). Life between Buildings. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Gehl, J., & Gemzøe, L. (2001). New City Spaces, Strategies and Projects. City: The Danish Architectural Press.

Gehl, J., & Gemzøe, L. (2004). Public Spaces, Public Life. City: The Danish Architectural Press.

Gehl, J., & Gemzøe, L. (2006). New City Life. Copenhagen: Danish Architectural Press.

Suri, J., (2005). Thoughtless Acts?. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Correa, F., & Busquets, J. (2007). Cities: X Lines. City: Actar D / Nicolodi Editore.

Mccullough, M., (2004). Digital Ground. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Jacobs, J., (1993). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Modern Library.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_u3sSffS78
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7795492.stm
http://www.ohgizmo.com/2009/02/26/control-street-lights-with-your-cell-phone/
http://www.ddc.dk/KALENDER/DDCudstillinger/se_lyset
http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/flow-50-daan-roosegaarde.html
http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/bion-adam-brown-and-andrew-fagg.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bap824
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