Expanding Spectra’s pedestrian oriented public space through a vertical layering concept.
Public space in most cities usually stops at the ground floor, and pedestrians often compete for space with vehicles, affecting their perception of safety–especially for children and the elderly. Public life in Spectra is spread across three vertical layers available for public and semi-public programming: the open ground floor, the rooftops, and Spectra’s “L2”, a connected network of courtyards. We saw a big opportunity with this second level to expand the city’s public life and provide a calmer, shared space that connects directly to the block courtyards.
Shared Street Concept
Based on the European shared street concept, the ground level streets mix pedestrians, bicycles, and small golf cart sized EVs. However, on L2, we have a completely pedestrianized zone. While the dominant experience of the ground level is fast and direct connectivity, the L2 concept focuses more on a garden city experience with elevated connectors and programmed courtyards. A pedestrian can walk leisurely from gardens to playgrounds to shared workspaces and completely avoid the traffic on the ground if they so choose. It aims to be a pedestrian paradise, and a haven for children and the elderly.
Community Led Spaces
Spectra’s L2 concept is deeply connected to the community-led block and courtyard system. The way residents shape and connect their blocks will test the performance, flexibility, and potential uses of vertical streetlife in Spectra.
