Eleven Principles to Turn Public Spaces into Civic Places, Project for Public Spaces

Several key principles are essential to creating any successful public space. These principles begin with numerous underlying ideas, the first of which is that the community is the expert — the most knowledgeable and best resource for the professionals that are responsible for designing or managing the space. The second is that when one creates a “place,” the entire project needs to be viewed differently. Partnerships are the third basic tenet because anyone who manages a space knows that it cannot be done alone. Finally, when embarking on a process for creating a successful space, one must accept that there always will be people who will say that it can’t be done — yet one can learn to work around the obstacles.

Other remaining principles include techniques for planning and outreach, translating ideas into action and implementation. All 11 principles are illustrated below with recommended steps to ensure that the goals are reached, as well as case studies from GSA projects.

Underlying Ideas:

• 1. The community is the expert
• 2. You are creating a place, not just a design
• 3. You can’t do it alone
• 4. They always say, “It can’t be done”

Planning And Outreach Techniques:

• 5. You can see a lot just by observing
• 6. Develop a vision

Translating Ideas into Action:

• 7. Forms supports function
• 8. Triangulate

Implementation:

• 9. Start with the petunias
• 10. Money is not the issue
• 11. You are never finished

Click on each topic for a discussion of the principle, including case studies.