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Public Squares in America

Written by Seena

Squares in America are just Intersections.

Before the advent of cars in the US, squares (or plazas, as they’re called in some places) served the same function as most other squares around the world: a public space for community gatherings & small-scale commerce.

Once cars were introduced and popularized in America, these public spaces widely diminished, and cities were constructed around cars, rather than humans. Nowadays, most plazas or squares in the U.S. are commerce hubs with parking lots, or busy intersections in the heart of cities that leave little room for the pedestrian.

Due to the prioritization of individualized modes of transport, American cities severely lack proper public space and accessible public transport – something that is a constant throughout the rest of the world.

Life in a car-centric society is alienating. There are very little outdoor public spaces, with the exception of parks, for individuals to gather as a community. As a pedestrian you are forced to accomodate for the car at almost every turn, not to mention the dangers of being a cyclist in a car-centric city. A city built for humans is one that would have an accessible, free, and widespread transit system. A city with an abundance of green space and public space for real communities to develop.

See more of Seena’s work at seena.design.

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