Affectionately referred to as the city’s ‘living room,’ the red brick amphitheater that makes up Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square represents a highly successful recipe for activation and place-making. Like a living room or a courtyard space in a family home, the Square provides Portlanders and visitors to the city, with a place for engagement, celebrate, socialize or relax.

In 2004 the square was named the fourth best public square in the world by New York’s Project for Public Spaces. Whether or not you buy into this sort of ranking, if you spend any time there, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular.

Located on the block bounded by SW 6th Avenue, Yamhill, Broadway, and Moison, the 40,000 sf (3,700 m2) downtown square is surrounded by diverse land uses and transit options – all of which act as catalysts to attract tourists. More than that, the cultural and social activities that are programmed in and around the space make the Square a place of pride and a hub of community and visitor activity. Over 300 events take place each year, in addition to the many passive forms of recreation that are supported. (If you’re not into one of the programmed activities, the nearby food trucks provide a opportunity to grab a snack, sit on the steps of the Square, and watch the public life unfold).

Photo by Flickr user Ian Sane (Creative Commons).

There are lessons here. Like Vancouver, Portland rains a lot. This bowl-shaped Square tackles this climatic challenge by hosting several seasonal events in the spring and winter.

The art installations – including the famous “Allow Me” (aka “Umbrella Man”) sculpture by John Seward Johnson II – is situated on the south side of the Square just above the amphitheater and is seen as welcoming visitors there. The sculpture depicts a life-sized man dressed in a business suit, holding an umbrella and is in a hurry. The sculpture is so well known that it is used as a reference point for people, gatherings and taking pictures.

“Allow Me” by sculptor John Seward Johnson II. Photo by Wikipedia user Noliver. (Creative Commons).

The many events, concerts, and celebrations that take place in Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square represent a full spectrum of activities. The programming and other aspects of management are administered by a non-profit organization and Board of Trustees that was created to oversee the site when it opened in 1984.

Both the stewardship and programming elements provide an interesting case study for central gathering areas in North America. Here, in Vancouver, it’s worth asking how we might learn from this when it comes to programming (and stewarding) the recently redesigned North Plaza in front of the Art Gallery. Although different in many ways, our newly refurbished Plaza could – and should – be a fantastic activity node for all weather events as well.

Hema Ramnani is an Urban Designer/Planner passionate about participatory planning, and placemaking through public engagement and public space innovation. You can find more of her work at hemaramnani.com.

With spring here, Vancouver residents have emerged from hibernation or descended from snowy mountain peaks to rediscover their city. Cherry blossoms, which did a remarkably good job at withstanding the elements, were the first major public space attraction for many. Yet soon, warm weather and sunny skies will draw Vancouverites to any number of the many beaches that grace our shoreline. It may be their (somewhat) natural context, the hedonistic activities that they are known for or their location along the city’s urban periphery, but Vancouver’s beaches are often under-recognized as important public spaces.

These beaches are hardly the only much-loved public spaces that are overlooked, however. Inspired by warmer weather and as a salute to Vancouver’s beaches, let’s tip our hats to five unusual, overlooked or (once) illegal public spaces from around the world:

Islands Brygge Harbour Bath: In Copenhagen, residents and visitors can cool off with a dip in a public swimming pool in the city’s harbour. While the area was formerly for heavy industry, the water (tested daily) is now clean enough to swim in: a testament to Copenhagen’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

At the Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, Copenhagen. Photo: webjay under Creative Commons 

Urban rock climbing in Stockholm: Not all public spaces are horizontal! Along the Danvikstull Canal in central Stockholm, climbers have free access to a 25-metre rock wall. It might not be the most accessible public space, but it’s certainly well used. Don’t look down!

Burnside Skate Park in Portland: In 1990, tired of rain and security guards shutting down their sessions, a group of skateboarders built a small, unsanctioned skate park under Burnside Bridge. Twenty-five years later, the space is legendary in the skate community and a template for skate parks under bridges in cities around the world.

Skateboarding under the Burnside Bridge, Portland. Photo: straightedge217 under Creative Commons

The Gum Wall: An “installation” that activates a space, Seattle’s Gum Wall is located in an alley near the famous Pike Place Market. It was cleaned in 2015, but visitors quickly began re-establishing the famous wall.

Gum Wall, Pike Place, Seattle. Photo: Caleb Phillips under Creative Commons

Eisbach River surfing: In Munich, surfers can catch a natural wave without ever leaving the city. A practice once illegal but fiercely protected by local surfers, surfing on the river is now sanctioned by the city. Beginners beware, though: while it may be open, it definitely isn’t easy!

There are many more unusual and well-loved public spaces out there. What are yours?

Top photo: Surfers on the artificial river Eisbach in Englischer Garten in Munich. Photo: Patrick Stahl under Creative Commons

All photos under Creative Commons license