To Create a Great Space for the Public, Research Shows You Need the Right Mix of People, Benches, Flowers and Attitude

People-friendly space with plenty of outdoor park benches - Photo from Project for Public Space

When it comes to open spaces, just creating an area with a "build it and they will come" approach doesn't always work. According to experts, it takes a combination of the right people, plenty of outdoor park benches, strategically placed sidewalks, empty trash cans, secure bike racks and a whole lot more.

How many times have you walked through an open public area that was somehow just not right and not inviting? Or how many times have you visited a location and thought, gee, it would be nice if there was some way to hang out here but right now there is no comfortable way to do that?

According to researchers at

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