The Social Life Of Small Urban Space Analysis

William Whyte’s book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces brought me relief. As a child, I remember asking some of the same questions he asked about city spaces, but wondered if anyone else bothered to think about seemingly trivial matters such as what made a place busy and how people are supposed to act in these busy places. Such questions are important for a child to come to terms with new surroundings, but is also important for city planners, as Whyte pointed out. The main question Whyte posed was what makes a city space successful, the main criterion of which was how much a space was used. In order to support his hypotheses, Whyte uses field observations obtained using cameras, in-person observations, and specific examples such as the Crystal Court of the IDS Center in Minneapolis. I found his observations and points to be enticing, and I have witnessed much of the phenomena he has recorded such as the silent communication of foot movements. This beginning excerpt from …show more content…
I strongly agree with Whyte’s and Suzanne Stephens’s stance that there should be a socioeconomic mix of people in a space to make it urban and public. One of my favorite indoor spaces is the Salt Lake City’s Main Library. The first floor has all the principle needs of an indoor space that Whyte lists: sitting, food, retailing, and toilets. There is a line of shops on the first floor including the library’s own shop featuring book-related products. The Hemingway Café and coffee shop provide food, and there are tables and chairs for all to use. Another point Whyte makes about “a good internal space” (262) is the visibility of the space. The Main Library has an awe-inspiring number of floor-to-ceiling windows and large glass doors. Its curved shape even serves to beckon all to enter as it hugs library square. Together, the Main Library and library square form one of the most successful urban spaces I have