This week we are finishing the online workshop PUBLIC SPACE AND PEOPLE. After these weeks, I have concluded a reflexion on the following aspects is needed:

a) Traffic ways -pedestrian and vehicles ones- that is to say the streets form the main public space in a town or city. The street net -including in that net, the squares- is the main public space where people can interact. So, in my opinion, we should study this net in Hamar, understanding the squares as part of this net. And we should also think in solving parking lots connexion with pedestrian ways in proximity to public or commercial buildings. I guess that in Nordic winter this point is relevant.

b) The train railways cut the pedestrian relation between Hamar and the lake. These railways belong to a not so old industrial past that we should remember and interpret as a patrimonial good. This part of Hamar needs a re-integration in the urban design.

c) I would like to know why the lake is not the main urban focal point for Hamar. On this point I would thank information. There are too few public buildings facing the lake, the boats harbours haven’t got enough public facilities.

d) When we look at Hamar with Google Earth we can see a lot of auto vans. These images joined with so many boats harbours around the lake make me think in the joyful use of landscape by residents. And they are used to enjoy it without altering it. I would also thank local opinions on this point.

In my opinion, considering the square urban design isolated from these aspects is a lost chance to understand urban design as a tool for improving the relations and connexions between built environment and daily life. So in my proposal, I will try to focus on these aspects, at least, as an open question.

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All images from virtual globe Hamar.