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Architecture & Society: Communities that Embody Humanism
Larry Speck
Overview
This video explores how humanist principles can be applied to the design of large-scale communities, moving beyond individual homes to entire neighborhoods, districts, and metropolitan areas. It examines eight characteristics of humanistic design, illustrating them with examples like Byker New Town in England, Tapiola New Town in Finland, the San Antonio Riverwalk, Millennium Park in Chicago, and the High Line in New York City. The core idea is that by prioritizing human needs, convenience, community connection, and natural integration, architects and urban planners can create spaces that foster well-being, identity, and economic vitality.
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Chapters
- Humanism in architecture extends beyond individual buildings to encompass entire communities, focusing on the well-being of residents.
- Eight key characteristics of humanistic design, previously discussed, are applied to neighborhoods, city districts, and metropolitan areas.
- The goal is to create communities that foster a sense of belonging, convenience, and connection for a diverse population.
Understanding how humanist principles scale up is crucial for creating livable and thriving urban environments that support the needs of many people.
- Byker New Town in Newcastle, England, was a post-WWII project to redevelop substandard 18th-century worker housing for 10,000 people.
- Architect Ralph Erskine advocated for a phased redevelopment approach to avoid disrupting existing community ties, intergenerational families, and local institutions.
- The project involved gradually relocating residents block by block, allowing them to remain in their community while new housing was built.
- Erskine's office was intentionally located within the community, with designs displayed publicly to encourage resident engagement.
This case demonstrates how prioritizing community relationships during redevelopment can lead to more humane and successful urban renewal projects.
The architect's office was located in an abandoned funeral parlor within the Byker neighborhood, with drawings displayed on the street-facing glass to involve residents in the design process.
- Individual units feature small gardens or planter boxes, allowing for personal expression and connection to nature.
- Convenient amenities like grocery stores are within a five-minute walk for all residents.
- Public spaces accommodate a wide range of activities, from chess tables for older adults to playgrounds for children.
- The design integrates diverse housing types (townhouses, apartments) and accommodates various residents (families, singles, elderly) without segregation.
- A variety of visual experiences is maintained through different building designs, while a human scale is preserved through features like balconies and windows.
These detailed design elements illustrate how specific features can directly contribute to a richer, more convenient, and inclusive living environment for a large population.
Each housing unit has a small planter box for gardening and a bench on the stoop, serving as a personal space and a practical spot for residents to rest groceries.
- Tapiola, Finland, was designed as a self-contained community for 35,000 people near Helsinki, aiming for a stronger sense of community than suburban sprawl.
- The town is organized around a central hub with recreational and cultural facilities, and smaller, walkable neighborhoods.
- Each neighborhood contains essential services like post offices and grocery stores, along with community centers and recreational areas.
- The design leverages the natural beauty of the site, integrating forests and water views, and offering diverse housing options from public housing to luxury apartments and single-family homes.
- Multiple architects were involved to ensure visual variety while maintaining a cohesive, modern Scandinavian aesthetic and a human scale.
Tapiola exemplifies how intentional planning can create a balanced community that offers both convenience and a strong sense of local identity, integrated with nature.
Neighborhoods are designed so that essential services like a post office, grocery store, and doctor's office are all within a short walking distance from residents' homes.
- The San Antonio Riverwalk, developed in the 1920s-30s, transformed a derelict river area into a vibrant public space and a major tourist attraction.
- It was a collaborative effort between architect H.H. Hugman and community groups, particularly women's organizations, who opposed a concrete channelization of the river.
- The design incorporates a wide range of activities, visual variety (historic and new buildings), a human scale, and freedom from traffic intrusion.
- Extensive vegetation provides natural relief, and human presence is marked by public art, murals, and tile work.
- The Riverwalk's success as a public space has driven tourism and economic development for San Antonio.
This historic example shows how prioritizing human experience and natural beauty in an urban setting can create a beloved public space that also becomes a significant economic asset.
The Riverwalk features a harmonious blend of historic buildings and new constructions, interwoven with abundant vegetation, creating a unique and visually engaging environment.
- Millennium Park in Chicago transformed an old rail yard into a dynamic public space with performance venues, gardens, and iconic artworks like 'The Bean'.
- Crown Fountain in Millennium Park uses interactive video projections of city residents' faces and a shallow water plaza, creating a playful and engaging space for all ages.
- The High Line in New York City repurposed an abandoned elevated rail line into a linear park, offering green space, seating, and performance areas in a dense urban environment.
- Both projects provide periodic natural relief, accommodate a wide range of activities and people, and offer a respite from the surrounding urban hustle.
- These spaces have become central gathering points, fostering a sense of community and enhancing the identity of their respective cities.
Contemporary projects like Millennium Park and the High Line demonstrate that even in highly urbanized areas, humanistic design can create vital public spaces that foster community and civic pride.
Crown Fountain features two large video pylons displaying faces of Chicagoans, which periodically spout water, delighting children and attracting onlookers in a shallow, safe water plaza.
- Cities across the US, particularly in Texas (e.g., Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park, Sundance Square), are increasingly investing in humanistic public spaces.
- These interventions aim to create desirable places to live, offering opportunities for self-actualization and respecting human dignity.
- Humanistic design acts as a 'game-changer,' transforming urban centers into vibrant hubs of activity and identity.
- Such spaces not only improve residents' lives but also often stimulate economic growth by making cities more attractive to people and businesses.
Investing in humanistic design is a strategic choice for cities, enhancing quality of life, building community, and driving economic development.
Projects like Discovery Green in Houston and Sundance Square in Fort Worth are cited as examples of how humanistic design has revitalized urban centers and created new focal points for community life.
Key takeaways
- Humanist architecture prioritizes human needs, convenience, and well-being at all scales, from individual homes to entire cities.
- Preserving and integrating existing community ties is as important as new construction, as shown by the phased approach in Byker New Town.
- Successful large-scale communities offer a variety of activities, visual experiences, and housing types to accommodate diverse populations.
- Integrating natural elements and providing 'periodic natural relief' significantly enhances the quality of urban living.
- Humanistic public spaces, like parks and riverwalks, can become powerful economic drivers by attracting tourism and fostering civic identity.
- The design of public spaces should foster a sense of human presence and allow for personal expression and connection.
- Cities that invest in humanistic design signal their commitment to their residents' quality of life and often see economic benefits as a result.
Key terms
Humanism in ArchitectureCommunity DesignUrban RedevelopmentPhased RedevelopmentCommunity TiesHuman ScalePeriodic Natural ReliefPublic SpaceSelf-ActualizationCivic Identity
Test your understanding
- How can the principle of 'preserving community ties' be practically applied during the redevelopment of a neighborhood?
- What are the key benefits of incorporating 'periodic natural relief' into urban community design?
- Why is a 'variety of visual experience' important in large-scale architectural projects, and how can it be achieved harmoniously?
- How do humanistic design principles contribute to both the social well-being and the economic vitality of a city?
- Explain the concept of 'human scale' in architecture and provide an example of how it is maintained in a large community project.