modernist plazas 10.09.09

city form: public space

 
A common issue with the success of Modernist buildings in the civic realm is the struggle between the purity of form and the creation of engaging public space. The mathematical ordering and grandness of scale that may have worked quite well as a composition on paper often resulted in uninviting, stark and empty plazas devoid of amenities. Typically additional programming (such as festivals and markets) or elements (such as public art) are introduced after the fact to enliven the public space and make it seem more ‘human’.
Toronto Dominion Centre, 1967 architect: Ludwig Mies van der Rohehttp://www.galinsky.com/buildings/tdcentre/index.htmshapeimage_6_link_0
Toronto City Hall, 1965 architect: Vilio Revellhttp://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/81.phpshapeimage_7_link_0