The most fundamental component of any memorable urban experience is the street. But what does it take to make a street memorable as a "place," rather than just a thoroughfare? As a city planner, I'm always interested in exploring this question. Generally, a good "street scene" is one that is aesthetically appealing, pedestrian-friendly and economically-viable. Here are some memorable street scenes from Texas, Louisiana and Ecuador.
The hallmark of a memorable street is its propensity for public interaction. In that regard, some of the best streets in the United States can be found in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
Here's Chartres Street between St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. I especially enjoy the history, the architectural design and the human scale of the buildings in the French Quarter. The buildings are the most important element of any successful street; if they aren't appealing, the street will not be an appealing place to be.
This is a street in the colonial section of Quito, Ecuador. The buildings on either side of the street are hundreds of years old, and contain small shops at the street level. Places that were originally designed for pedestrians tend to remain pedestrian, even in the age of the automobile.
This is Calle La Ronda, in colonial Quito. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, which was founded in the 1530s. Not a lot of activity, but I thought it was pretty cool.
My favorite street in modern Quito is Calle Amazonas. Notice the wide sidewalks, the trees and the many storefronts; amenities such as these encourage pedestrian activity and make this street a vibrant and enjoyable public space during the week. It doesn't look very busy in this picture, however, because I took this shot on a Sunday morning.
Here's another view of Calle Amazonas. Modern high-rises stand next to old tile-roofed buildings and the street space is shared by bankers, tourists, street vendors, businessmen and schoolchildren. It's fun to sit at one of the sidewalk cafes and watch the world go by.
This is a street in the Ecuadorian resort town of Baños. Here, the sidewalks have been widened and the roadway itself has been narrowed down to a single lane. This treatment establishes pedestrian dominance over the automobile, making the street a comfortable and safe place for people to walk.
Here's another look at this street. Notice the storefronts, the vegetation, the awnings and the outdoor seating areas. It should be noted that in Ecuador, car ownership is much less prevalent than in the United States. Therefore, Ecuador is a much more pedestrian-oriented society than we are.
During the week, this street in Otavalo, Ecuador is unremarkable. Every Saturday, however, this street is closed off to automobile traffic and is transformed into a crowded and memorable marketplace.
The most successful "street" in Texas isn't really a street. One of the reasons for the Riverwalk's success is that it is actually located below the streets of downtown San Antonio. Thus, pedestrian circulation is separated from automobile circulation and people are given a safe and comfortable place to walk, shop, eat, drink and interact.
Here's another view of the San Antonio Riverwalk. There's something about water and vegetation that attracts people and makes them feel comfortable. The curvilinear nature of the river and the sidewalks means that people see a constantly changing view as they walk along the water's edge; this gives the Riverwalk a sense of mystery and keeps them walking as they explore.
This the traditional small-town-square streetscape of Denton, Texas. It has the historical uniqueness and the human-scaled architecture that are necessary for pedestrian activity, and awnings and outdoor seating areas have been placed as further attraction for pedestrains. However, this streetscape would be a lot nicer if trees were planted between the sidewalk and the on-street parking to buffer the pedestrians from traffic. People and automobile traffic don't mix; there needs to be some sort of separation between the two.