IDENTITY, SENSATION AND DIVERSITY IN THE STREETS

Investigating concepts, shapes, programs and attributes of the streetscape....
What makes one block or street more interesting than others?
With inspiration from f.ex the BORNEO project in Amsterdam (WEST8), and other street views and experiences, I am searching for some qualities, attributes, intrinsic values etc that gives character to a neighborhood.
This is qualities that one can sense when first experiencing a street or neighborhood, the visual impulses and aesthetics. But living in and being a user of a place connects experiences of other dimensions to the feeling of a place and the care (or lack of care) you feel for it, in the perspective of investing time and energy to it, making it your own.

The mosaic above is different images from Paris and Malmø I took when visiting the cities last autumn. Both the cities have a lot of characteristics and varieties that I liked. Especially Paris has a rich variety in programs on street level that the neighbors use; bakery, coffeshop/cafés, grocery stores, laundry etc. Makes it possible for people to do their necessary things within their area... Which again make the area active...


The two pictures above shows the facades from both sides of Nygårdsgaten here in the City of Bergen, a varied street with different programs on street level and mostly apartments from first floor and above. How can one regulate an area or lead development into a varied expression like this? Is this possible? Maybe the Borneo development shows that it can? I have not seen it myself but the images seems promising...