‍Editor's Note: This article is the last in a four-part series that explores the four segments of the Place Diagram, which answers the question, “What Makes a Great Place?” Read the first article on Uses & Activities here, the second about Sociability here, and the third on Access & Linkages here. If you have a project that makes your public space more comfortable for everyone, consider applying to present at the 4th International Placemaking Week next June 5-8, 2024, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

In a time when hostile architecture is increasingly visible in the public realm, a comfortable public space can feel like a breath of fresh air. When a space offers welcoming amenities, even when they are as simple as a place to sit, people are more likely to thrive and truly express themselves. This is why Comfort & Image are a critical part of what makes a great place. From cleanliness and safety to accessibility to taking care of our basic human needs, these features can make visitors feel more at ease.

The ways in which a public space is designed, managed, and programmed send a powerful message about who is welcome there. And while every person will need a different combination of elements to feel invited into a space, there are many common threads among places that are comfortable across identities, abilities, age, and other factors that influence one’s day-to-day experiences of the public realm.

According to Project for Public Spaces’ Director of Projects Elena Madison, many of the elements of comfort are “intuitive, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t intentional ways to improve them.” People are drawn to places that intentionally show us elements that will make us feel welcome, whether that is comfortable seating that fits our bodies, signage in our own language, or just seeing activities and amenities that seem culturally familiar. This article outlines some of the key ways that public spaces can foster that inviting feeling for everyone who might visit.

1. Create Accessibility Beyond Mobility

When it comes to accessibility, it isn’t simply enough to be able to get to a place. To fully enjoy a space, people must be able to navigate it and spend time there with dignity and confidence. Unfortunately, many spaces deliver a message of exclusion to their visitors.

For example, in the words of Steve Wright, an inclusive public space advocate who works in development and universal design, our streets and shared spaces often “give this image that if you use any kind of assisted mobility device, you are a second- or third-class citizen.” And though physical mobility is by no means the only aspect of accessibility, its barriers are some of the easiest to spot: out-of-the-way ramps, sidewalks blocked with electric scooters or scaffolding, or non-functioning wheelchair lifts. Not only does this cut people off from what a place has to offer, but it also hinders their ability to tap into a sense of belonging and social access. 

While accessibility design often focuses on ensuring that everyone can move to and through a space, there are further elements of inclusion that can ensure that people of all ages, abilities, and identities are taken into account. According to Dr. Gala Korniyenko, lecturer at the Knowlton School College of Engineering Ohio State University, and Director of Research for Innovative Communities NYAP, the conversation around “accessibility design often represents people in a wheelchair. When I ask people about inclusion, physical disability is the first thing that comes to mind. Not so much autism or neurodiversity.” Taking into account people “with different minds and bodies” is an important step in ensuring that everyone can have a positive experience.

Every person’s experience of a place is unique. But one place to start to create neurodiverse spaces is by using the Six Feelings Framework co-developed by Dr. Korniyenko. The framework is part of a groundbreaking and iterative set of guidelines focused on autistic adults in public spaces called Autism Planning and Design Guidelines 1.0. The Six Feelings include feeling connected, free, clear, private, safe, and calm. Each feeling comes with a unique set of guidelines and principles to better understand ways in which autistic adults experience urban environments. All of these little elements are part of comfort. While tailored to autistic adults, these six feelings can have broader applications and provide an expanded definition of what comfort means. 

The process of getting these feelings right can start small: “It doesn’t have to be a radical change,” according to Jared Knight, a self-described “loudly autistic planner” with a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly Pomona. “Making adjustments to lighting, sound, and other elements can accommodate sensory differences,” says Knight. “For example, a lot of yellows and reds are used in city planning and these are colors that have been found to be overstimulating for people with autism.” In fact, to alleviate sensory overload the aforementioned guidelines have recommended substituting magenta as a new standard crosswalk stripe color.

The impacts of barriers to accessibility, whether physical, social, or emotional, go far beyond the logistical difficulties faced in any given moment. They can create a feeling of exclusion that lasts. After all, access is also about feeling at ease in a given place. This feeling can be bolstered by direct involvement in placemaking. Wright, Dr. Korniyenko, and Knight all advocate strongly for the inclusion of disabled and neurodiverse people in the planning process. By reaching out to local organizations, especially self-advocacy organizations, the placemaking process can be meaningfully inclusive from the start.

2. Set the Stage for Resilience

Increasingly common extreme weather events like heat waves mean that things like thermal comfort and shelter from the elements are more important than ever. Providing shade, ways to cool off, or spots to take cover during a storm not only ensure that public spaces are usable in all weather, but also that they become trusted refuges in an era of climate crisis.  

Many cities are using public spaces as a way to adapt. In San Antonio, which has just experienced its hottest summer on record, underpasses have been repurposed as parks—providing valuable shade over new basketball courts, swings, and table tennis sets. At the same time, other places like Rotterdam in the Netherlands are combining physical resilience to extreme weather, like rainfall, with placemaking. There, rainwater retention features double as skate basins and a sunken basketball court with stepped edges for seating. In this way, Rotterdam not only strengthens social resilience among residents who gather there, but also the physical resilience of the city and its inhabitants to hazards like flooding.

This is why, among other reasons, placemaking is a climate justice issue. To protect public spaces and make them reliably comfortable and safe means taking into account the environmental and public health risks posed by a changing climate. Doing so means that nearby residents are not only more likely to visit, but also that they are more resilient on an individual and community scale.

3. Make Cities Friendlier for Aging

Comfort is also at play in making sure a place attracts people of all ages. According to 8 80 Cities Executive Director Amanda O’Rourke, when it comes to factors that ensure age diversity in a space, “safety and comfort are high on the list.” But that is not to say that all older adults want quiet, passive spaces—in fact, O’Rourke emphasizes that “there is a lot of stigma and stereotypes that older adults in parks really just want passive places to sit.” 

Older adults are not a homogenous group. There is so much diversity, and a spectrum of ability. Rather than channeling this idea into senior-specific spaces, in O’Rourke’s experience, it turns out that what older adults are really looking for is fairly universal: Lively spaces with a variety of people partaking in lots of different activities. 

Nonetheless, some age-friendly features can set the stage for this type of dynamic. “It comes down to having inclusive design, which are things like clear, smooth walking paths that are maintained throughout the seasons,” says O’Rourke. “Walking is the number one activity that people do in parks and public spaces, and it’s one of the easiest design instruments you can use to encourage people of all ages to get all those benefits of public spaces.”

After walkways, O’Rourke listed other attractive amenities like accessible bathrooms and a wide range of seating options, including movable seating and seating designed for people with mobility challenges where they can lift themselves up more easily with handles. But these amenities are meant to be the backdrop for what older adults report that they really want: spaces to gather with social groups, opportunities to encounter other visitors, and access to programming and activities.

In the end, a focus on drawing in visitors of all ages is just one part of what makes a space great. In O’Rourke’s words, “The point is not about creating specific spaces for children and older adults, it’s creating spaces that invite everyone in, no matter their age, ability, or background.” 

4. Care for Public Spaces

What better invitation can a public space provide than signs that it is regularly taken care of, cleaned, and updated with visitors in mind?

This type of thoughtful planning was on display in Buffalo, New York, during one of a series of projects led by Project for Public Spaces’ as part of our Community Placemaking Grants initiative. In this case, the placemaking activities focused on the previously underused outdoor area surrounding a historic Art Deco train station, the Buffalo Central Terminal. The Central Terminal Restoration Corporation (CTRC), a nonprofit in charge of the ongoing restoration of the building and maintenance of the historic site, had big plans in mind for this Great Lawn including turning the sweeping, grassy area into a beloved park.

According to Drew Canfield, Associate Director with the CTRC, the transformation of the space started with locally fabricated benches and tables. After holding a community workshop to gather input, CTRC and Project for Public Spaces brought on trainees at a nearby nonprofit Maker Space called The Foundry to create some designs. The result was a series of simple but visually appealing furniture pieces that reflect the architectural designs of the terminal.

The benches and tables were the first physical elements to signal to people that they are welcome to come use the lawn. Since then, programming has become central to creating a sense of place around the Terminal. To reflect the various cultures surrounding the space, CTRC has partnered with local artists and organizations on events like Shakespeare at the Terminal, a “Trunk-or-Treat,” the Beau Fleuve Music and Arts Celebration, a neighborhood-wide public art exhibition, a summer concert series, and an Eid-al-Fitr celebration marking the end of Ramadan. And, as CTRC staff make a point to use each event to gather ideas from participants as they map out next year’s activities, this active calendar continues to grow.

The Great Lawn serves a real need in the area. “From the beginning we really wanted to invite people in to use the space as their neighborhood park,” says Canfield. “The biggest change we’ve seen is people actually using the lawn because of the benches and tables.” With the installation of a new patio planned for 2024 as well as ongoing engagement with visitors about their needs, the lawn is set to evolve further. 

Cultivate Comfort and an Inviting Image

Much like sociability, comfort and image are subtle elements of what makes a public space great. A comfortable place is simply one where it feels easy to spend time. It is the culmination of many different elements that make visitors feel seen and included; showing that the space reflects their needs and takes care to be a welcoming environment.

‍Katherine Peinhardt has a background in climate change, and writes about the intersection of resilience and placemaking. She currently works at the ICLEI European Secretariat, and is a former German Chancellor Scholar.