Soft City

Perhaps soft city can be considered a counterpoint or even a complement to ‘smart’ city. Rather than looking to complex new technologies to solve the challenges of increasing urbanization, we can instead look to simple, small-scale, low-tech, low-cost, human-centered, gentle solutions that help make urban life easier, more attractive, and more comfortable. Softer may be smarter.

Beyond having everything we need in closer proximity, we need to make the in-between times and in-between places more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Some basic details in design can significantly change the experience of using the stairs, such as natural light, ventilation, and views connecting to the outside. Having the stairs broken down into smaller sections, with a dog-leg staircase, for example, gives the user more opportunities to rest and makes climbing the stair feel less challenging.

Making a playground right in front of the Houses of Parliament caused much debate over how appropriate it is for young children to run about barely clothed in front of the country’s most important government building. In the end, it was recognized that the innocence of children playing safely in the middle of the city was the best reminder of the core values that the parliament represents. Although Berne has a river and many other water features, the simplicity and accessibility of the water jets changes a hard, formal space into a playful place for social and sensory experiences.

There are some simple ways to achieve natural ventilation, all of which are easier to achieve in a smaller building. The best is cross-ventilation, with air entering on one side and leaving on the opposite side. A difference in temperature on opposite sides of the house creates air movement. Recesses and projections in the facade such as loggias, bay windows, and balconies, create shadows and a small but significant difference in temperature, which stimulates air movement.

In northern Europe, streets might be angled, with the wider space allowing for more sun exposure. The narrower part would protect the user from excess wind. Side streets might not be aligned with each other to stop the wind from howling through. What is fascinating when looking at old city plans, especially the ones we describe as ‘organic,’ is the response to climate and topography and the diversity of places created. Superficially messy, their apparent disorder is, in fact, a richer, more subtle order that responds to climate and the diverse needs of a society that spent more time outdoors.