Last week brought active discussion of pedestrian and safety enhancements to Seattle streets. This week began with Councilmembers Burgess and Rasmussen commencing a City response to graffiti and street litter.

And below, in association with such safe and clean street initiatives, myurbanist resumes exploration of qualities might Seattle adapt from afar to implement and enhance alleys and related public space. This article, the second of a series (which began here on February 28), proposes additional qualities for Seattle placemaking.

Here is a one-stop summary of the 12 myurbanist principles to foster placemaking in Seattle, consistent with the current multiple public dialogues about enhancement of alleys, public spaces, street appearance and safety:

1. Emphasize an alluring focal point.
2. Use hanging green.
3. Use simple, green plantings and encourage ornamental building features in the path of view.
4. Where possible, enhance multi-level exposure to vernacular buildings amid the urban fabric.
5. Provide varied forms of encounter with surrounding commercial uses.
6. Celebrate exotic signage.
7. Provide for a multi-color, mixed use environment.
8. Together amplify angle, color and texture to highlight organic street life.
9. Enhance structural features to frame places enroute.
10. Celebrate the marketplaces of vending and dining.
11. Make angles magical.
12. Highlight iconic buildings.

It may be that no vantage points can create the drama of Rome’s Spanish Steps at Harbor Steps.

Nonetheless, five additional principles might apply to the seven qualities set out in the companion myurbanist February 28 article.

1. Together amplify angle, color and texture to highlight organic street life.

2. Enhance structural features to frame places enroute.

3. Celebrate the marketplaces of vending and dining.

4. Make angles magical.

5. Highlight iconic buildings.

Jelled by recent public presentations and early Spring weather, late February Seattle is alive with the prospect of enhanced street life and the need for perceived safety among prospective street users.

Foreign inspiration from Denmark and Australia has defined a potential first step–dumpster removal, simple addition of patio furniture and other inexpensive implements to enhance use of improved alleys–all to exemplify how to reclaim public spaces.

The Seattle Times‘ “Sketcher”, Gabriel Campanario recently highlighted Nord Alley in Pioneer Square as evidence of the possible, and noted AIA-Seattle’s “green alleys competition” will unveil winners on March 4.

Indeed, regulatory barriers, property rights and maintenance issues are negotiable by motivated parties. City guidance for alley enhancement is readily available.

Seattle is poised to move from the setting of Pompeii’s past to the “laneways” of Melbourne.

What qualities might Seattle adapt from afar to implement “laneways”, enhance public space and create its own “post-modern Post Alleys”?

Here, in the first of a series, myurbanist proposes seven initial qualities, mindful of context, climate and topography.

1. Emphasize an alluring focal point.

2. Use hanging green.

3. Use simple, green plantings and encourage ornamental building features in the path of view.

4. Where possible, enhance multi-level exposure to vernacular buildings amid the urban fabric.

5. Provide varied forms of encounter with surrounding commercial uses.

6. Celebrate exotic signage.

7. Provide for a multi-color, mixed use environment.