Where's the Square? Resources and Reading
Think inside the box.
The following materials provide an introduction to public squares, including their history and transformation over time, their social aspects, and the role that design, architecture and planning play in creating a successful outdoor gathering place. This list is intended to provide a sampling of the many excellent works out there - if there's something key that you think is missing, please let us know!
Websites:
- Project for Public Spaces (PPS) - 10 Principles for Creating Successful Squares
- Urbansquares.com - Canadian website with imagery and reviews of squares and plazas from around the world.
- Wikipedia - "Piazza", "Plaza", "Town square", "List of city squares" and "List of city squares by size."
- Morgan Greenseth. "The Future of Shopping Malls: An Image Essay" on Worldchanging Seattle. Posted August 7, 2008.
Articles:
- Jared Bland and Cameron Talk. Squares: Civic struggle and the public square: an appreciation. Published in The Walrus. January/February 2008.
Books on Public Squares:
- Christopher Alexander, et. al. A Pattern Language. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977. (see. e.g. "Small Public Squares")
- Mark C. Childs. Squares: A Public Place Design Guide for Urbanists. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2004.
- Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard & Henry L. Lennard. Livable Cities Observed: A Source Book of Images and Ideas for City Officials, Community Leaders, Architects, Planners and All Others Committed to Making Their Cities Livable. California: Gondolier Press, 1995.
- Jan Gehl. Life Between Buildings. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1987.
- Clare Cooper Marcus, et. al. People Places: Design Guidelines for Urban Open Space.
- Cliff Moughtin. Street and Square. Architectural Press, 2003. (Preview).
- Michael Webb. The City Square: A Historical Evolution. New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1990.
- William H. Whyte. "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" from The Essential William H. Whyte. New York: Fordham University Press, 2000.
- Paul Zucker. Town and Square: From the Agora to the Village Green. MIT Press, 1970.
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