Street Level Integration + Animation

Street Level

Integration and Animation

Does the design contribute

to adjacent street life?

Is it interesting (or boring

and generic) to walk by?

Does it create a lively

place—or a dead zone?

Does it pull you in—or is it

unfriendly?

Does it turn it’s back on the

city—or embrace it?

DIAGNOSE YOUR HABITAT

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Leadenhall Building, London, UK

The Qube in downtown Detroit animates the street with color and a

variety of seating types at 611 Woodward Ave (14 floors, built in 1959).

590 Madison Ave is a place

where people want to be.

Natural light, plants, art and

clustered seating encourage

social interaction.

The atrium is highly visible

from the exterior, which adds

to the experience of people

walking on 57th Street.

It’s an inviting space in an

office building which is among

those able to charge top rental

rates in midtown Manhattan.

DIAGNOSE YOUR HABITAT

590 Madison Ave, New York

DIAGNOSE YOUR HABITAT

This market spills out onto the street creating a place people

want to be, with a sense of abundance.

Portland, OR

An open corner was designed to connect with street activities at the

8-story Ryerson Student Learning Centre in Toronto. (opening March 2015)

rendering: Snøhetta with Zeidler Partnership Architects

DIAGNOSE YOUR HABITAT: This example in Vancouver’s Yaletown

demonstrates variety, authenticity, and integration with nature.

At the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, tall buildings are linked

with lively, open walkways, and seating that flows into adjacent streets.

41 Cooper Square, New York

Does the design contribute

to adjacent street life?

Is it interesting (or boring

and generic) to walk by it?

Does it create a lively

place—or a dead zone?

Does it pull you in—or is it

unfriendly?

Does it turn it’s back on the

city—or embrace it?

DIAGNOSE YOUR

HABITAT

TALL BUILDINGS: ON THE VALUE OF STREET-LEVEL ANIMATION “People are now realizing that profits don’t come just from creating large floor plates but rather from the value of the whole site, including public space, contextual connections, and a rich mix of uses. So my private and public clients increasingly share the same goals.” This can be one of the great public spaces AND revenue source.” -Ken Greenberg

Diagnose Your Habitat! a series by Sharon VanderKaay @svkaay