I'm not saying the trees must be evergreen, but be careful with the type of leaf sweeping operation you're
creating for yourself. And those beautiful flowers in spring? Do they fall off and make a slimy mess on the
sidewalk when they're past their prime?
Geoffrey Donovan, a Portlander who has researched trees, shows that the rental value of housing
increases with a street tree nearby. People actually preferred their street trees nearby rather than right in
the middle of the property. Interesting, eh?
Another little gem from his research is that large street trees actually accompany low crime, whereas
small trees near homes are associated with higher crime.
If all of these cautions about street trees discourage you, another shade possibility is an awning program
or shade structures to fill awkward spaces gracefully. You also could have a splash fountain for the kids or
a place for the grown-ups to dabble their feet in the water.
careful you are, it's possible that the design simply doesn't coordinate well with the shop or office
doorway.
Paver stones, whether real or synthetic, also might be incorporated as accents into the sidewalk. Often
the curb is left its natural gray concrete color, with the actual sidewalk taking on a different hue.
Glitter may be mixed into the concrete for entertainment areas, and many colors of concrete are possible.
It's best to mix the concrete color or additive all the way through the mix rather than apply a thin veneer
on the top.
It's also possible to obtain striking color effects with asphalt these days, and you might want to try midintersection logos or place-relevant patterns.
Now let's talk about outdoor seating. Make the benches sturdy and serviceable, because if you install
something that can be easily stolen, vandalized, set fire to, or otherwise rendered inoperable, it's only a
matter of time before that happens.
Make sure the seating is as comfortable as possible, given that it's likely going to be metal.
Arrange benches in a pattern that will be comfortable for users. In other words, think about how close
people in your culture would like to sit across from or next to strangers. Also consider carefully whether
people want to rest near heavy traffic.
Some places have been inventive and created sidewalk pavers that look like a rug between two facing
benches. So let your imagination rule for awhile, and then bring it back down to earth with brainstorming
all the possible downsides to your plan.
If your area might become a homeless hangout, or already is one, consider installing the benches where
they are divider arms, so that a person cannot lie down on the bench to sleep.
Another amenity to consider is the bicycle rack. If you have the kind of community where people feel safe
leaving their bikes, you can encourage stopping for a cold beverage or a cup of coffee if there's secure
bike parking. A bikeable community is very desirable now.
Depending on climate, you may need to install a drinking fountain. In some neighborhoods, the kind with
the low bowl for dogs is popular.
During your streetscape program, you also might want to consider public restrooms if that is a need in
your town. If you go to the expense of making them available and maintaining them, give us a discreet
sign every once in a while to show where they are.
New street lighting is a very common element of a a streetscape program, as wiring can easily be
installed or moved to accommodate the new bases when sidewalks are being replaced.
Will you need an electric vehicle charging station?
And keep in mind that I'd rather see a vital business district, where people are continuously going in and
out of shops, with a plain old gray concrete sidewalk, than a dead business district with an artful
streetscape.
Because people are the very best ingredient for adding color, motion, unpredictability, and interest to your
street!
In fact, we recommend a book about making your neighborhood memorable in general: The Great
Neighborhood Book: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Placemaking1.
Another benefit of doing nothing is that a streetscape program, in which the sidewalk is replaced, street
trees are planted where there were none before, and so forth, disrupts the business district for a whole
season or more.
Can your businesses afford to alienate their clientele for two to five months while you pretty up the place?
By that time, customers might have found another place to buy a cup of coffee.
If you decide to move forward with a new streetscape look, plan very carefully to provide for pedestrian
safety and an understandable system of showing where it is safe to drive, park, and walk. Invent a slogan
for your streetscape program and talk about how great it's going to be when it's finished.
unique houses that still fit together in a consistent pattern so that no single house is
dominant
regularly spaced tree planting on both sides of the street to give it identity
active street frontages, particularly in urban areas shops and businesses that are
open and trading
streets that give pedestrians and cyclists priority and are designed to discourage
speeding
streets in which the width of the carriageway relates to traffic volume and is not wider
than necessary
fences and walls of an alignment, height and style consistent with others in the street
clear sight lines between house entrances and the street, providing visual surveillance of
the street to maximise neighbourhood safety
underground services, to remove unsightly power lines and not impede street tree
growth
solar street lights, which indicate local council commitment to sustainable infrastructure.
Streetscapes value
Attractive and functional streetscapes increase residents quality of life and their property
values.
Understanding the value of streetscape means thinking outside the block.
The streetscape should encourage community interaction and exchange. People who feel
isolated from society are more likely to behave in a manner detrimental to the needs of the
community. The idea of community is not just about a feel-good factor. During the next few
years the value of community will be reflected in industry rating tools. This will provide another
measure to help home buyers make choices about where they live.
An effective streetscape should convey a sense of openness and sharing while offering a
degree of privacy.
Elements like trees and footpaths encourage pedestrian activity, which reinforces social
interaction and provides casual surveillance of the street.
A streetscape that looks inviting is more likely to encourage people to live there, increasing
demand and property prices.
The same principles apply whether you look at a conventional street with buildings lined up
along a road, or clustered housing where homes are arranged around a central space. Streets
do much to define a neighbourhood and a well-designed street can create a pocket
neighbourhood.
passive visual surveillance to discourage crime provide outlook over the street and
public space from at least one room other than a bathroom or bedroom
consistent street fencing, which does not isolate the house from the street balance
privacy requirements with the need for a visual connection with the street in new fences
and walls
low walls to integrate mail boxes and shield bins and recycling facilities from the street
landscaping to enhance the quality of the streetscape; use plants to screen or direct
views, provide shade, clean the air and give visual identity to a street
garden planting which considers the rhythm and proportion of existing street planting
(intervals between trees, height and spread); plant fewer big trees rather than many
small trees
planting species that wont damage footpaths, structures or drainage or invade adjacent
bushland
planting native species which require less water and provide a habitat for native animals.
Many local councils and natural resources/catchment boards provide lists of local
indigenous plant species (see the appendix Landscaping and garden design).
Fences should not be so tall that they isolate a house from the street.
Low fences, screening planting and well-placed windows allow casual surveillance of the street
from inside.
Places to avoid include:
areas that have poor pedestrian visibility such as pedestrian underpasses that reduce
opportunities for natural surveillance and footpaths lined by dense vegetation or high
walls
streets with blank walls and fences, car parks and service areas that separate the fronts
of buildings from the street, and excessively wide garage doors fronting streets
Be a good neighbour
protecting acoustic privacy by careful siting and internal planning locate bedrooms
and private open space away from noise sources such as service equipment, busy
roads, driveways or active recreational areas
avoiding directly overlooking your neighbours main living areas or garden space by
careful location and design of windows and balconies.
not building in a way that significantly overshadows the main living areas or garden
space of neighbours
not locating noisy areas (e.g. pools, driveways, and service equipment) near the
bedrooms or living areas of neighbours; locating driveways and parking areas at least
3m from bedroom windows
Pocket neighbourhoods
Pocket neighbourhoods are groups of around a dozen households that provide a sense of place
and territory. They can form the building blocks of much larger neighbourhoods. Instead of
standing alone, a larger, shared backyard becomes part of a home domain that includes friends
and neighbours.
Shared outdoor space is a key element of a pocket neighbourhood. Neither private, like a
backyard, nor public like a busy street, shared outdoor space becomes a space that eases the
transition between the private and public realms. This can make interaction with neighbours
easier and facilitate the formation of friendships.
Pocket neighbourhoods accommodate cars but have a core area where individual homes face
onto a shared, car-fee space where people can sit and chat and children can play
opportunities not available in conventional subdivisions.
Streets can be transformed into pocket neighbourhoods, or designed as community-friendly
places from the outset.
This kind of development is rare in Australia, but recalls the ambience of old villages. They can
be rural or urban. One urban example is Christie Walk in Adelaide, where shared outdoor space
and the resulting pedestrian streetscape help redefine the nature of inner-city living.
Streetscape is a term used to describe the natural and built fabric of the street, and defined as
the design quality of the street and its visual effect, particularly how the paved area is laid out
and treated. It includes buildings, the street surface, and also the fixtures and fittings that
facilitate its use from bus shelters and signage to planting schemes [1]. The unification of the
elements of streetscape can help in the success of visual experience [2]. Sustainable
streetscape ensures that spaces are long-lasting and function as a part of the greater
ecosystem employing technologies that manage stormwater runoff and reduce carbon footprint.
And it helped create better places for present and future residents [3]. So the sustainable
design of the streetscape is one of the determining factors in the success of the city.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1687404813000102