“The observation that the risk of an individual pedestrian or bicyclist being hit by a motor vehicle decreases as the number of pedestrians or bicyclists increases, respectively runs counter to what one might expect .”
Thesis Title:
SOFT ROAD DESIGN
R.Q:
How design can help to humanize urban roads from mainly traffic to a more predominant public(people) use?
Abstract:
Feeling safe when we and our children make use of the road is a basic need.
But often this need of security induces attitudes of closure that effectively reduces the quality of urban life. Alternative strategies seek out security in a more open and participatory enjoyment of urban activities.
A number of studies paradoxically affirms that when pedestrians make more use of the road, decrease the possibility of accidents between people and vehicles.
But in the course of time, traffic has obtained a predominant influence on the use of public space that such space is only meaningful in its traffic-related functions.
Man, as a user of public space, has been reduced to a small part of the system.
With design we can shift back the lay-out of the urban roads by marking a more predominant public use.
By intervening in the domain of infrastructures, the “hardware” and people's behaviours, the “soft” aspects of the city (Sikiaridi/Vogelaar,2006), my thesis addresses the integration of traffic with other forms of human activity.
Design thinking as a creative process can bring new approaches on the use of the public space and open new paths of urban design.
INSPIRATIONS: Click Me
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Click Me
EARLY.DESIGNS: Click Me
People research plan:
The Urban Design Research:
My research started by photographing interactions of people and elements that are part of the road network:
I'm planning to involve different groups of people of different ages and different nationalities. To be able to achieve successful feedbacks and results I will tryout several times the same method: A first version of my "urban probe pack" is going to be tested on friends and students of the DAE. The number of people depends from their availability and will be defined better after a first tryout.A second version will be tested in the city of Venice and Torino during my Italian trip on the first week of November 2008.The probe pack consist in a series of sticky cards especially conceived to let the participant be able to speculate and rediscover the urban space. The participants will comment on aspects of social life and co-relate them to the urban space by sticking the cards on the spots they want and then record it on a picture.
The results of the series of "urban probe packs" will bring a everyday-life into the design process as a source for ispirations.
The second fase consist in designing the research inspired concepts and in a more evaluative way , test them by creating prototypes and/or models.
R.Q: How can we increase pedestrian's road use and shift the identity of the road from motorist-centered to human-centered?
Experts in my subject:
City Counsellors:
Comune di Torino Settore Arredo Urbano for financial and more practical questions about urban designs and city planning.Ilda Curti Città di Torino Assessore alle Politiche per l’integrazione
Urban designers: Walter Cavallaro, street furniture director Comune di Torino, Esterni.org - Design Pubblico
Xavier Lust designer, Belgium, Jp Decaux
Street Artists: Anish kapoor, Roadsworth Toronto, The London Police Amsterdam,
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Click Me
EARLY.DESIGNS: Click Me
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