Covered Streets

Protected Public Space

Cities and towns consist of a mix of private and public space. One of the great values of a town or city is that it allows its people to interact in the public space.

London's Leadenhall Market is an example of a public space  - that is at once open - and protected. I remember the first time I came upon this structure feeling a sense of amazement - first at the beauty of this place - and then second - that the idea had not caught on more widely. In its barest essence it is simply a glassed over street. In London's rainy but moderate climate this public space allows all manner of public gathering - from after work drinking, to political activism, to retailing, and even moviemaking (Harry Potter used this as a set).

Leadenhall Market

So a simple way to facilitate community - is to create environments that allow people to comfortably aggregate. In Hartford Connecticut (where I live) the climate is variable and harsh. Rain, snow, cold, wind, and heat all make reliable outside gathering a chancy affair.


I like to imagine that the idea of Leadenhall Market would be adopted in Hartford - covering streets such as Pratt Street and parts of other pedestrian friendly streets such as the end of Asylum Avenue. I think that this would encourage a more vibrant downtown and greater interconnectedness.

A great current example of this was recommended to me by Mr. Doug Suisman who is helping Hartford with its Iquilt program. The following link takes you to a New York Times description of a covered street it lower Manhattan. It is a perfect example of the effect such a covering could have:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/arts/design/architectural-canopy-shines-in-battery-park-city.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss

Derek Blanchard has worked with me to envision how Pratt Street might look. These three images are conceptual and there are many many practical issues that would need to be solved in order to make this a reality. But the first step - is to see if this idea has appeal more broadly. Derek has constructed 3 images - one at street level and the other two from the end of the street - one in daylight - the other in the evening. Enjoy!


Street level:

Daytime view from the end of the street:

Night view (imagine tables out on the street with attractive lanterns!)

I'd love to hear from anyone who has thoughts on this - ranging from further ideas, examples, to problems and concerns.