Winter City Design: Creating Attractive Public Spaces

Winter is the season with the most obvious contrast between indoors and outdoors. In winter, the indoor space is warm, warm, and bright, while the outdoor space is cold, humid, and dark. Many people don't want to spend their free time outdoors. This can lead to lack of physical activity and may cause some health problems, but the urban design strategy of winter cities can solve this problem. In this article, we will discuss some winter urban design and landscape architecture strategies, which will help architectural professionals design more lively winter cities.

Design of Winter Cities

These cities are usually cold for most of the year, and health problems such as seasonal depression can occur due to low light exposure and the decline in social and physical activity levels caused by the harsh environment. To compensate for this, it is necessary to focus on creating cozy, bright public spaces with attractive activities. Many cities do not cater well to winter activities, leading to people shutting themselves indoors during the darker months. This is caused by unsuccessful urban design strategies that focus on the use of urban public spaces only in what is perceived as ‘good’ weather conditions. A shift in thinking towards designing for all weather conditions in a 24/7/365 approach can lead to increased public space usage and better physical and mental health outcomes for a wider range of residents.

During the Christmas season, when the Christmas market is held, people want to go out to see the sights and spend time at the market. These recreational activities will also affect winter tourism and change the general atmosphere of the city in winter. Approximately 85 million tourists visit German Christmas markets each year. Not only does it make the city more lively, but it also strengthens its economy in the cold winter. We can use these events as an example of a good winter urban design strategy. Facts have shown that these activities can attract people to leave the comfort of their homes and spend their free time outdoors. The winter market requires not only careful logistical planning, but also good spatial planning. The increase in visitor numbers associated with seasonal markets is often very short-lived. To flatten the curve and increase the duration of use of the public outdoor space, a careful plan of activities is required. What follows is the importance of designing flexible and practical public open spaces that can adapt to changing projects. The correct design of buildings around public spaces can also have a significant impact on these spaces. Sidewalk public space designed to capture as much sunlight, wind, and city lighting as possible will make the city feel safe and comfortable, while making outdoor activities in the cold, dark winter Nicer. The surrounding buildings also act as natural surveillance, making the space feel more secure and inviting. For winter cities, factors such as ice and snow must be carefully considered. These factors will also affect the accessibility of the area, which is one of the most important factors in urban design. In addition, shelter systems and canopies can be added to protect intersections on city streets. Well-designed walking paths and bicycle paths can withstand wind, rain/snow, and encourage residents to walk through the city comfortably. The increase in visible people on the street will have a knock-on effect, encouraging others to go out, thereby almost exponentially increasing the vitality of the city streets. During Christmas, a Christmas market is held. People want to go out to see the sights and spend time in the market. These recreational activities will also affect winter tourism and change the overall atmosphere of the city in winter. Approximately 85 million tourists visit German Christmas markets every year. It not only makes the city more active, but also strengthens its economy in the cold winter. We can use these events as an example of a good winter urban design strategy. These activities have proven to attract people to leave the comfort of their homes and spend their free time outdoors. The winter market requires not only careful logistics planning, but also good spatial planning. The increase in the number of visitors associated with seasonal markets is usually short-lived. In order to flatten the curve and increase the use time of public outdoor spaces, it is necessary to develop a careful activity plan. What follows is the importance of designing flexible and functional public open spaces that can adapt to changing schedules. The correct design of buildings surrounding public spaces can also have a significant impact on these spaces. The public space is designed to absorb as much city sunlight as possible. Windproof and illuminated corridors will make the city feel safe and comfortable, while making outdoor activities in the cold and dark winter more enjoyable. The surrounding buildings also act as natural surveillance, making the space feel more secure and inviting. For winter cities, factors such as ice and snow must be carefully considered. These factors will also affect the accessibility of the area, which is one of the most important factors in urban design. Additionally, shelter systems and canopies can be added to protect city street intersections. The well-designed route offers rain / snow proof walking and biking trails and windshields, encouraging residents to comfortably travel around the city. Increasing the number of people visible on the street will have a knock-on effect, encouraging others to get out, almost exponentially increasing the vibrancy of city streets. Nordic cities are famous for their winter designs. By working with these elements rather than fighting them, many Nordic cities have created warm and comfortable outdoor environments, such as encouraging urban skiing. This active lifestyle encouraged by winter activities and events promotes social interaction to reduce health problems and stress. Nordic countries successfully seized winter opportunities

Activities for the Winter Cities

The cold that affects cities has become an opportunity for Nordic cities to carry out various activities throughout the city. They make the existing park features suitable for winter activities like skating, skiing, and sledding. Skating on ponds and lakes in the Nordic region is an important social activity that brings people together. Typically these water features are built into the park and designed to be shallow to freeze ice faster, thus extending the skating season. Another interesting winter activity in the Nordic region is ice swimming. Cold days are not an obstacle for this activity. This can also be programmed in milder climates. Most Finns believe that it has many benefits for the body and mind, and this activity is essential for them. Helsinki’s Allas Sea Pool and Löyly Sauna are used all year round. The multifunctional space is also the key to extending the use of public space in winter. For example, the track can be lit at night to provide a ski route that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All these functions and facilities should be located within walking distance of the city center. It is important to support all of this by adding nearby markets and cafes, allowing people to stay longer in these areas. Helsinki Ice Park is located in the railway station square and is an important winter destination. In addition to ice skating, there are also cafes where people can watch other ice skating, so they try to keep people in these areas for longer. In this way, social interaction is encouraged and the atmosphere of the entire city has also changed.