Summary u.2

It is getting more difficult to attract people to come back downtown. This is caused by the urban design of cities today. Most cities are poorly planned for public use. Undesirable areas, called lost space, that need redesign are scattered all around the city. They do not have positive contribution to the surroundings and the people in it (Trancik, 1986). Perhaps the biggest challenge to architects, urban-planners, and landscape architects is to redesign these lost spaces to cohere with the environment and promote social relationships.
There are various causes for cities to have lost spaces. The most difficult to tackle is the increased dependence on automobiles. Streets are no longer for pedestrian use (Trancik, 1986). Residents do not care to admire communal areas such as parks anymore. Another cause is the attitude brought by the Modern Movement. Elevators and technology caused high-rise buildings to discourage people to engage in a communal existence centered on the street. Also, due to zoning, buildings were constructed considering only function and ignoring human behavior.
The privatization of public places does not help. Buildings are designed to attract attention without taking into account spaces around it. Due to this general disregard for the appearance of the city as a whole, minimal investments are reserved for public places (Trancik, 1986). Changes in land use endlessly produce wasted spaces such as vacated buildings, abandoned properties, and obsolete facilities. Probably the biggest dilemma causing lost spaces is the reluctance and lack of ability to control the physical structure of the city.
Lost space disrupts the overall continuity of city form. These spaces are inexpensive and are centrally located giving it enormous potential for redevelopment. Redesigning of lost space will generate social benefits which impact more than just economic gain. Rules must be set taking in consideration historic patterns and the evolution of modern space. Understanding and skills have to be developed so that future constructions would better support societal interactions.
Reference:
Trancik, R. (1986). What is Lost Space. In R. Trancik, Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design (pp. 1-20). New York: Van Nosrtand Reinhold.