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The Nashville Street Life Project
The Project
In his progressive documentary The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William Whyte established the importance of observing and documenting public spaces to enrich our understanding of how they are used, and thus to inform their design. Following the principles outlined in Whyte's film, a grassroots movement of practitioners and scholars initiated the "Nashville Street Life Project." The project's aim is to assess public spaces in downtown Nashville, on both physical and social dimensions, to determine how those spaces are used and which features are necessary for them to be successful public spaces.
Whyte's findings served as the basis of a 1975 overhaul of the New York City Zoning Code and helped shape some of the most successful public spaces in the world. Similarly, the Nashville Street Life Project aims to influence the creation and improvement of public spaces in downtown Nashville, including parks, plazas, streets, sidewalks, alleys, and any other space that fosters the social relationships that build communities.
A sunny afternoon in Church Street Park, Nashville, Tennessee
Photo credit: The Nashville Street Life Project
Cities across the United States are experiencing revitalization of their urban cores. As this urban migration continues, downtowns are rapidly becoming a center of high-density residential and commercial growth. Along with this growth comes the need for viable public spaces to serve new residents, as well as downtown workers and visitors. Nashville is no exception to this trend. With hundreds of new downtown residents, and thousands more expected in the coming years, Nashville's urban parks and plazas will have new and greater demands placed on them as spaces for recreation, relaxation, and social interaction. The long-terms viability of Nashville's downtown depends on the creation and maintenance of successful public spaces.
Research - The Church Street Park Study
Compiled results of the behavioral mapping in Church Street Park
As a pilot project, and a means to begin a dialogue about the importance of public space, The Nashville Street Life Project is conducting a study of Church Street Park, located in the central business district of downtown Nashville. The research team is using a mixed methods approach in the assessment of the park, including behavioral mapping, surveys, and pedestrian counts. The interdisciplinary research team includes planners, architects, landscape architects, food vendors, students, and downtown residents.
For more information about this pilot study, please see the project report at http://www.civicdesigncenter.org/projects-streetlife.html
For more information about the Nashville Street Life Project, please e-mail John W. Vick.
For more information about the placemaking approach to public spaces, please visit Project for Public Spaces at www.pps.org.