Up until recently, cars in particular have been prioritised in urban design. Now, however, pedestrians are taking centre stage. Indeed, Western European cities are implementing urban policies for pedestrians everywhere. As a result, there is also growing attention being given to designing cities ‘at eye level’. But what does that mean, exactly, and why is it so important? And how are we doing that in Amsterdam? We asked Ruwan Aluvihare, lead designer of several public space projects.

‘The city at eye level starts by considering the importance of eye contact,’ says Aluvihare. ‘Neurology research has revealed that of all road users, pedestrians share the most eye contact with each other. This creates a feeling of community and a social environment, which is essential for feeling at home and enjoying your stay in a city.’

Being able to make eye contact also contributes to traffic safety. The idea of ‘shared space’ is based on this, for those places in which many pedestrians must share relatively limited space with other traffic. In these cases, standard designs do not provide safe solutions. Aluvihare: ‘Because cyclists and pedestrians share the space without “rules”, you compel people to make eye contact in order to communicate about how they are going to move through the space. This is far more effective than a traffic sign with a warning.’

‘We also see that pedestrians are much more focused on having a complete urban experience. While motorists often visit just one shop or shopping centre, pedestrians are seeking a broader experience than just shopping.’ As a result, they spend considerably more money, which is economically important to city centres.

Designing at eye level

Principles

Cocoon

Making the city together

Want to know more?

Read more about the psychology of the city and designing
at eye level here::

• www.thecityateyelevel.com and www.stipo.nl
• Strategische verkenningen Verkeer & Openbare Ruimte (Strategic explorations Mobility & Public Space) (City of Amsterdam, 2018) with a case study on the redesign of Ferdinand Bolstraat 
• The City at Eye Level, lessons for street plinths (Stipo, 2016)
• Great Streets (Allan Jacobs, 1995)
• The Concise Townscape (Gordon Cullen, 1971)
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Jane Jacobs, 1961)

Pedestrians therefore experience a city very differently from other road users, and you can align with this when designing buildings and public spaces. But how exactly do you go about this?

First of all, you start by designing a street from the outside (i.e. the pavement) in, and not the other way around, as was customary for a long time. ‘This gave the pedestrians the leftover space along the sides of the road. You have to reverse that approach, and a good example of this is Ferdinand Bolstraat. It used to be a street that catered to all types of traffic, leaving hardly any room for pedestrians. When we redesigned it, we opted for a nice, broad pavement. This resulted in a single tram line and no more space for cars.’

There are four key principles you can then use to ensure that a large city feels welcoming and human at eye level:

• The height and design of the plinth (the part of the facade at ground level), incorporating sufficient transparency, accessibility, craft and detail
• A carefully selected variety of functions at ground level
• An attractive public space that works well
• Sequential vision, or successive vistas featuring special places

Aluvihare: ‘All successful cities, old and new, from Barcelona to New York, have been built on the basis of these principles. By contrast, there are the failed experiments in modernism such as the Bijlmer, which is now being renewed according to exactly the same principles. And I play with these in my own work too.’

For example, in high-rise buildings, you can ensure that the plinth and a few floors above it protrude a little so that people barely register the height of the buildings. ‘We do this a lot in Amsterdam. Some historical examples of craft and detail include Berlage and the Amsterdam School, of course. But you can also come up with something simple, such as incorporating a bench in the plinth.’

By providing space at ground level for various functions, you can create and maintain interaction between inside and outside and between people. ‘So rather than having a large supermarket with a single entrance and an otherwise closed facade, you can have a mix of stores, restaurants, and so on.’

Green space is becoming increasingly important in the design and redesign of public spaces: ‘Ensuring sufficient green space has been policy for decades in Amsterdam, but given the focus on the climate and nature, there is now a great demand for even more green space. In addition to this, green space is always rich with detail.’

‘By taking this approach, you can create a richer experience – a sort of cocoon in which people feel at ease. The final principle, sequential vision, connects that experience: how does the city unfold at eye level as you walk through it? Small interruptions, such as a bend in a street, a small bridge to cross or a kink in the facade, keep a city from feeling endless.

In old cities, this has often come about naturally as they grew, but in new cities, you can incorporate it into the design. We’ve done so at IJburg, and we’re doing it now in Haven-Stad. And where this is lacking, for example in some places in and around the ring zone, you can do a lot to restore it.’

Aluvihare emphasises that these principles apply not only to metropolitan areas, but also to streets in residential neighbourhoods – albeit interpreted slightly differently. ‘For example, you can replace transparency with “eyes on the street”; sufficient visibility from homes means a safer environment.’

It goes without saying that residents know their street or area best, so as a designer it’s worth listening to them carefully. He is therefore a strong advocate of collaborative citymaking, a priority in Amsterdam’s local vision. With one caveat, however: ‘Compared with other countries, we already have many democratic procedures in place to involve residents.
At the moment, though, we almost always do this on a project-by-project basis. This actually doesn’t make much sense – it would be much better if it were a continuous process, and an ongoing conversation. That would enable you to get to know the neighbourhood better and achieve a broader, longer-term perspective together.’

‘First of all, you start by designing a street from the outside (i.e. the pavement) in, and not the other way around,
as was customary for a long time’

‘Given the focus on the climate and nature, there is now a great demand for even more green space’