Youth culture activates public space

I've been intrigued by the current debate around what "public space" means (with the Chihuly proposal for Seattle Center and such... In fact, listen to our very own Iain R. diving into it here:   http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=21413) and moreover by the array of opinions on what types of activities, amenities, surrounding building uses, etc. will "activate" a public site.   Attract people.  Invite them to stay.   And give them a reason to return.   Some argue for private, commercial uses to activate public space.  Shops, shops, shops!  Restaurants.   Cafes.  Food carts.  Others argue for mixed use that includes residential, in order to maintain a 24hr. presence.   But one thing I haven't heard many people asserting is that the presence of young people and youth culture activates public space... And yet some of the liveliest spaces I observed in Copenhagen embraced and showcased youth culture.  

I'm not talking about children (although... I could very well argue that, too!)  I'm talking about teenagers and young adults.  The proverbial "promise of tomorrow".  This demographic slice may not have a great deal of political power or disposable income to spend in restaurants, cafes and boutiques.  They may actually resent or reject these uses as not intended for them.   (Well... they're right, no?)    And people for whom restaurants, cafes and boutiques ARE intended may resent and reject young adults.   Why is that?   Might it be because when young people are not welcomed into public space they often find ingenious ways to appropriate sites (sometimes marginal sites, sometimes private sites, sometimes public sites) and claim them for uses that do appeal?  Think Woodland Park dirt bikers.  Think downtown skateboarders.   Think TUBS graffiti wall in the U-district.  Depending on our perspective, we call these uses "criminal trespassing" or "empowering."   I've already tipped my hand by calling them"ingenious", but I also recognize how and why they breed animosity and a breakdown in communication between generations.   Perhaps these uses are simply evidence of a missing social function.  A blind spot in planners' and designers' field of vision.


I'm not a skater, a climber or a graffiti artist.   And I'm not a young adult, either ;^)  However, I thoroughly enjoyed just being in the spaces pictured above... due in large degree to the energy and creativity infused by the youth culture present there.   I wanted to go back.  Just to see what was happening.   These spaces were clearly designed to invite and attract young people.  Perhaps they were even designed with or by young people.  Well... they worked for me, too. 


So I think we can do better job of intentionally inviting young people into public space, hopefully in a way that is integrated with other aspects of public life.  And by doing so, we'll likely also invite vitality, artistic expression, physical activity and inspiration.


Cheers, Pam