The making of successful public space: A case study of People's Park Square

Abstract

People's Park Square is a lively urban node located in the heart of the historic Chinatown district in Singapore. It is well used throughout the week and is the focus of much of the pedestrian activity that goes on in the area. This case study is part of an on-going research project on the nature of good Southeast Asian streets and urban spaces and through it, we hope to identify and document answers to such questions as: why is the Square a successful urban space? What are the factors that make it work? What are the designable physical characteristics of such spaces? What can be done to promote good streets and urban spaces? For while the importance of creating good streets and urban spaces that provide conducive settings for public life is increasingly being acknowledged, the study of our regional urban environment has been, to date, largely neglected. Ultimately, the purpose of the study is to analyse the various factors involved in the makeup of successful Southeast Asian urban areas and to distill the findings into a set of physical designable characteristics that can be used to facilitate the future creation of successful urban spaces adapted to our regional requirements.