Seven qualities of safe spaces
People are hard-wired by thousands of years of evolution to react to the built environment in certain universal ways. That’s true because the design of communities has a real impact on safety, health, and social relationships.
Over countless generations, our ancestors were attracted to places that enhanced their well-being and repelled by places that did not. In the days before civil lawsuits, modern health care and insurance, and police departments, one did not survive by ignoring signals from the built environment.
Regardless of actual danger in the modern world, people don’t linger in places where their hair stands on the back of their necks. “Crime statistics may plummet, but if people feel lost or trapped within a public space, unable to see or find a quick way out, they will avoid it,” notes Ray Gindroz, principal emeritus of Urban Design Associates,
Gindroz had a major impact on several American cities and influenced the design of mixed-income neighborhoods and affordable housing. He wrote an essay in the Charter of the New Urbanism book (1999 and 2013 editions), explaining the meaning of principle 21, which is stated thus: “The revitalization of urban places depends on safety and security. The design of streets and buildings should reinforce safe environments, but not at the expense of accessibility and openness.”
Gindroz redesigned many public housing neighborhoods to make them safer for residents. In the essay, he identifies seven qualities of safe spaces. Many of these qualities are inherent in the public spaces and neighborhoods that have been attractive and popular over generations and centuries. By virtue of these seven qualities, public spaces will continue to be the heart of civilization, and I repeat them in Ray’s words here:
- Human presence
People in a public space must feel the presence of other people in the space and in the buildings surrounding the space. The sense that we are not alone and are being observed helps us to behave properly and feel safe. Windows are symbols of that presence, whether people are behind them or not. Mixed-use buildings help promote 24-hour presence. - Congeniality
The dimensions and scale of the space should encourage comfortable interactions among people. - Humane protection
Mechanical devices such as cameras and gates should be invisible. Where possible, police presence should be personal, on foot or bicycle, so police officers can interact with others. - Visibility, light, and openness
Open views that enable us to see other people and to be seen—by people driving by, as well as by others in the space—provide natural supervision. Light should ensure nighttime visibility. - Order
Coherent landscapes, streetscapes, and signs in both the public rights-of-way and bordering properties make a clear statement that a space is well-managed and safe. - Connections
Spaces must be perceived as part of an interconnected network of streets and public open space, so we feel we have access to others who make the space safe. - Legibility
The clarity with which each space connects to the rest of the city helps us understand the form of the city, keeps us from feeling lost, and assures us that we are in control of our relationship with the city spaces and the people in them.
