Ground Level Design in Belize and Brooklyn

Ground level design should be thoughtful – it sets the tone of our collective experience as we move through the streets, especially when walking.  It can provide an invitation or a barrier.

An opening towards the streets becomes clear with the use of transparent materials such as glass, or a hurdle can be created when the view is meet with something opaque like metal.  Off course when the climate is tropical like in Belize, there is no need for a glass enclosure.

From retail to restaurants and residential spaces, what our eyes see and our senses detect should be considered in ground level design as we think about the future of our cities and its city-zens.

Photography Credit: Aminah Ricks

What does a democratic street look like?

Julia D Day of Gehl Architects evaluates urban design from a point of view that challenges and questions the democracy seen and felt at street level.

Read her article The Street and the Search for Democracy

Photo Credit of Malmo, Sweden: Gehl Architects

Elevating City Life