Writing on the Wall

1
Writing on the Wall

• Council estate/housing project public housing
  social housing
• Do we blame people or look for inherent design
  faults, or do both?
• Difficulty of replicating Newmans data with OHC
  data from Torontosecrecy issues

2
Writing on the Wall

• What design faults contributed to the social
  problems discussed in the film?
• How many design faults might be corrected or
  eliminated in the design phase of housing?
• Can an architect operate effectively without a
  thorough understanding of human territoriality?

3
Maximizing Defensible Space

• Clear entrance areascars, bushes, etc., should
  not obstruct views into the entrance
• Provision of semi-public space
• Visibility of entrance ways, stairwells, play
  areas
• Housing should blend in with existing
  neighbourhood and not stigmatize residents
• Play and seating areas adjacent to housing

4
Maximizing Defensible Space

• Clear entrance areascars, bushes, etc., should
  not obstruct views into the entrance
• Provision of semi-public space
• Visibility of entrance ways, stairwells, play
  areas
• Housing should blend in with existing
  neighbourhood and not stigmatize residents
• Play and seating areas adjacent to housing

5
Maximizing Defensible Space

• Public areas maximizing tenant surveillance of
  grounds distinguished from semi-public and
  private areas
• Smaller number of tenants in buildings, density
  does not have to change
• Avoid placing low income, single parent
  pathological families in high-rise buildings
• Display names on door (reduces deindividuation)
• Allowance for personalizing touches (plantings,
  door knockers, window boxes, tenant painted doors

6
Clason Point Modification Goals(p.16)

• Intensify tenant surveillance of the grounds
• Reduce public spacecreate private semi-public
  areas
• Intensify use of semi-public grounds in socially
  beneficial ways, extend areas of perceived tenant
  responsibility
• Increase sense of propriety felt by residents
• Reduce stigma of public housing, better blend
  with the community
• Reduce intergenerational conflict among residents

7
Procedures Implemented in Clason Point

• Paths widened, decorative, coloured paving used.
• Walls outside dwellings (created front lawns).
• Public seating in centre of pathway.
• Separation of age appropriate play areas,
  provision of adult seating
• Better and more decorative lighting of public
  areas
• Fencing to distinguish backyards from public
  paths.
• Refacing of buildings

8
Clason Point Crime Statistics

• Overall crime rate dropped 54 in first year
• Premodification monthly crime rate average 6.91
  crimes/1,000 residents
• Postmodification monthly crime rate average
  3.16 crimes/1,000 residents
• Average monthly burglary rate/year dropped from
  5.15/1,000 residents to 3.71/1,000 residents (a
  28 change)

9
Clason Point Crime Statistics

• Average monthly robbery rate dropped from
  1.95/1,000 residents to 0.
• Average monthly assault rate dropped from
  0.53/1,000 residents to 0.31/1,000 residents (a
  42 change)
• The number of felonies (indictable offences)
  during the evening and night decreased by more
  than half.

10
Clason Point Crime Statistics

• For serious crime categories (burglary, robbery
  assault), average crime rate was reduced by 61.5
• The percentage of residents who felt they had the
  right to question strangers on project grounds
  increased from 27 to 50
• (Source Newman, O. (1996). Creating defensible
  space. Washington, DC U.S. Department of
  Housing and Urban Development, pp.77-78).

11
Issues in Defensible Space Research

• Lack of definition of defensible space
• Selectivity of buildings studied?
• Data analysis errors
• Was there an actual reduction in crime or was it
  merely the displacement of crime to other
  locations?
• Architectural determinism rather than an
  examination of other possible factors
• Failure to consider social and economic factors
  in the commission of crimes
• Accessibility of housing data in other
  jurisdictions?

12
Issues in Defensible Space Research

• Lack of definition of defensible space
• Selectivity of buildings studied?
• Data analysis errors
• Was there an actual reduction in crime or was it
  merely the displacement of crime to other
  locations?
• Architectural determinism rather than an
  examination of other possible factors
• Failure to consider social and economic factors
  in the commission of crimes
• Accessibility of housing data in other
  jurisdictions?

13
Issues in Defensible Space Research

• Buildings might have defensible space, but if
  tenants dont communicate with each other, there
  is no gain in safety
• The bystander effect (diffusion of
  responsibility) states that when others are
  present, less help is forthcoming