PLACE ANALYSIS
Free People, Gisha Cherian, Leah Stoner, Tiancheng Yang
Washington Square Park, Bethany Seawright
Place Analysis
I have been doing place analysis as part of my research and in classes with students for over 15 years. I’ve found it to be a crucial tool in understanding the ways places support (or obstruct) social activity and how they can be designed to provide a sense of comfort or foster community. In the examples shown here students are instructed to select a site to observe and document, looking closely at the activity of people occupying the space in order to analyze the spatial, social, and psychological characteristics of the place (select a project to download a full PDF of the analysis). This analysis can lead to design interventions, and/or a more nuanced understanding of people and place. In utilizing place analysis as a tool for teaching and learning, I’ve developed a step-by-step guide and compiled a number of resources available as a PDF.
Collaborators: Various Students
Related Projects: Spatial Study of the New York Public Library, Environmental Design Theory Course
Related Materials: Place Analysis Information and Methods PDF
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