Uploaded on 2017-10-10 by Noor Schräder

This photo was taken on a monday in March around 3 o’ clock near the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 1. We see people with their bicycles, looking at their phone, putting on their coat. Lots of bycicles, all parked and secured at the safety fence that’s primarily their for preventing people from falling in the gracht beneath. Their seem to be different ‘layers‘ of buildings, seen from the road. The 3 fancy gates inbetween the first row of buildings implie you can reach the buildings behind through them. These gates do have doors. The streetprofile looks small. The road is curved and paved with a small stone. The traffic signs in the back tell us that cars are allowed on this road. The street seems to have multiple functions: bicycle parking, a trottoir for pedestrians and as a driveway for cyclists and cars at the same time. 2. Dense area - The street works via a shared space principle because of the little space that’s available for the relatively many functions needed. Destination area - Because of the bicycle parking (people putting on their coat and checking their phone next to their bikes) the area seems to be have a destination very close by. 3. The biggest urban issue in this photo is the ‘shortage’ of space. At the same time this area shows different ways in how to deal with this. As designers we can use and study these principles. If you can’t go up (because of weak soil) you have to intensify. Building buildings behind buildings - and giving them ‘direct‘ street access through gates that reach the road. A more private or semi-private function seems to be on its place here: that will prevent the gates and corridors from being used for shady (and criminal) activities. Shared space. Small street profile, curve the road and pave it with small and embossed stones - this makes a car to slow down. Which is safer for the cyclists and pedestrians who also are using that same space.