| It's culs-de-sac. No way! It is. The plural of cul-de-sac is culs-de-sac? Yep. That doesn't even sound like English. That's because it's French. Note: This sounds so weird that the planning community usually adopts the Anglicized 'cul-de-sacs.' I actually edited out the proper (French) spelling from my ebook for this reason. 'Culs' interrupts the flow of reading because people spot it, stop reading, and have the above conversation in their heads. | |
My mom used to organize the annual 'Street Party' on our cul-de-sac.
Culs-de-sac have made an appearance in my brain a few times this week as I gorge on Christmas readings. This commonplace design feature is hotly contested around the world. Jonathan Barnett (City Design, 2011) documents that an act of parliament was required to legalize the use of culs-de-sac in the garden suburb of Hampstead, UK. Fancy that! That particular controversy stemmed from different circumstances, but even today there are lovers and haters. On the one hand, the safety and privacy of the 'court' generates increased housing values which developers and owners appreciate. On the other, the lack of thoroughfare is disruptive to walkability, connectivity, and flow.
Personally, I side with walkability. But while the function of the cul-de-sac can be fulfilled with more people-friendly alternatives, I still relish childhood days running around 'the circle,' fond memories of which are divulged in my interview with The Inside Agenda Blog.
Today in particular, I've been reading all about public space. Don't you find it emotionally delicious when research quantifies, validates, and shines a light on all those things you intuitively know or do but could never put your finger on? GO [social] SCIENCE!
Here's one on kids in the neighbourhood:
The major pattern of activity clusters occurred in the five cul-de-sacs. [...] The high observed densities in the cul-de-sacs occurred primarily because they were relatively free from vehicular traffic that would interrupt the predominant street activities of ball playing. The cul-de-sacs were so distributed throughout the site that they served as meeting places since they were easily identified and described by children.
- - Sanoff and Dickerson's "Mapping Children's Behaviour in a Residential Setting," quoted in Randolph Hester's "Neighbourhood Space," featured in Larice & Macdonald's "The Urban Design Reader." Aaannd I need a nap after that citation.
See, I love this:
1) I can still hear my childhood friend from down the street, "Wanna meet in the cul-de-sac after dinner?" Obv.
2) Snow piles. Can you imagine if snow piles were included in this study? Ball playing doesn't hold a candle...
3) A child could have told you exactly what this study discovered in a simple: "Yeah, there are no cars and everyone knows where it is." In fact, children probably reported as much when asked. I have a hypothesis that children are great detectors of place. The truffle pigs of place! One day, I will test this.
4) Culs-de-sac are massive slabs of radiating asphalt, yet kids always make the best of them.
Chances are, a third of you grew up near a cul-de-sac too. What I've gathered from my readings today is that people demonstrate remarkably similar patterns of behaviour in public space. Let's hear it from you though, for curiosity's sake, because it's fun to reminisce, and because as an aspiring placemaker I want to know what kids love.
How did you make use of your cul-de-sac as kids and a community? Comment here or catch me on facebook/twitter :) Thanks!
Personally, I side with walkability. But while the function of the cul-de-sac can be fulfilled with more people-friendly alternatives, I still relish childhood days running around 'the circle,' fond memories of which are divulged in my interview with The Inside Agenda Blog.
Today in particular, I've been reading all about public space. Don't you find it emotionally delicious when research quantifies, validates, and shines a light on all those things you intuitively know or do but could never put your finger on? GO [social] SCIENCE!
Here's one on kids in the neighbourhood:
The major pattern of activity clusters occurred in the five cul-de-sacs. [...] The high observed densities in the cul-de-sacs occurred primarily because they were relatively free from vehicular traffic that would interrupt the predominant street activities of ball playing. The cul-de-sacs were so distributed throughout the site that they served as meeting places since they were easily identified and described by children.
- - Sanoff and Dickerson's "Mapping Children's Behaviour in a Residential Setting," quoted in Randolph Hester's "Neighbourhood Space," featured in Larice & Macdonald's "The Urban Design Reader." Aaannd I need a nap after that citation.
See, I love this:
1) I can still hear my childhood friend from down the street, "Wanna meet in the cul-de-sac after dinner?" Obv.
2) Snow piles. Can you imagine if snow piles were included in this study? Ball playing doesn't hold a candle...
3) A child could have told you exactly what this study discovered in a simple: "Yeah, there are no cars and everyone knows where it is." In fact, children probably reported as much when asked. I have a hypothesis that children are great detectors of place. The truffle pigs of place! One day, I will test this.
4) Culs-de-sac are massive slabs of radiating asphalt, yet kids always make the best of them.
Chances are, a third of you grew up near a cul-de-sac too. What I've gathered from my readings today is that people demonstrate remarkably similar patterns of behaviour in public space. Let's hear it from you though, for curiosity's sake, because it's fun to reminisce, and because as an aspiring placemaker I want to know what kids love.
How did you make use of your cul-de-sac as kids and a community? Comment here or catch me on facebook/twitter :) Thanks!
