Streetscapes as place

In most American cities, and especially in Houston, streets are a means of getting from Point A to Point B by motorized transit. But in the past year, as work-from-home pervaded businesses, previously crowded urban streets became eerily devoid of cars. Streets and the areas adjacent to them soon became more active pedestrian zones. Restaurants and patrons embraced outdoor dining. Bike share programs saw increased ridership. Small musical ensembles were even able to perform on some outdoor sidewalks. These streetscapes achieved what many developers and designers have long realized; streets are fundamental public places that can easily foster daily human interaction. A well-designed streetscape improves the aesthetic quality and safety of the street, boosts economic growth, and promotes social activity and comfort of communities. The renderings, in the video, depict the power of streetscapes to not only communicate site access and proposed improvements to both the public and tenants, but to also provide a sense of the character, which defines each place.