FORM
A Place for Design
Ketchum’s Town Square
It's fun to see what the community can accomplish when tasked to create. In less than one year the new Ketchum Town Square was discussed, designed and built. And now, there's rarely a time when people aren’t using the it. It's exciting to see people – locals and visitors alike - enjoying the new space.
As a designer, though, I always have to wonder: What if?
To me, the Square lacks a major focused draw that beckons one to come experience it, rather than just reading it as a sum of many different components. It lacks the take home punch that many other public spaces ultimately deliver.
The Square, upon a cursory viewing, is easily understandable and comprehended as the entire thing shouts, "I am a public space!" It’s filled with elements that we have come to expect: water feature, fire feature, paths, Chess tables, text references to local areas, colored umbrellas and banners, a stage, etc., etc., etc.. Too much.
To me it is more of a playground space with programmed elements of suggested activities, rather than a public square that simply exists as a forum for people to be in the public realm. But maybe we have come to expect a level of programming in our daily routines such that we need prompting on how to interact with others in the public sphere?
What if all of these components weren't a part of the square? Would people still come? Doesn't every great public space have some special draw that makes people want to come or some adjacent use that makes it work? What's truly unique about our Town Square that will stick in the memory of visitors? The following list offers up examples of some great public spaces and what makes each space special.
Bryant Park, New York City
Large urban population uses it as an outdoor living room, summer concerts, great shade trees, shady tables to sit, special draws like a winter ice skating and a National Historic Landmark.
Memory to take home: Sun dappled space with huge shade trees
Jackson Hole Town Square, Wyoming
Famous and unique special draw of elk antler arches (great for the photo opportunity!), adjacent to Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, shopping and dinning.
Memory to take home: Elk antler arches
Ketchum Town Square
Space for outdoor concerts, adjacent shopping and dinning.
Memory to take home: Great views of Baldy.
Truth be told, the new Ketchum Town Square will be used by the public and likely to used well. I was at the opening festival - a great event with music, tons of people and free beer. My concern is what happens in the space when no activity is planned—does it have enough draw to become a part of our local cultural identity?
Perhaps for our community, the design of the new Ketchum Town Square will work because it caters, albeit a bit literally, to the perceived diverse needs of a more transient population. Could there be more of a focused unique draw to the space? Maybe less would be more? I think so, but the bottom line is people are using the space and time will tell if it suits our community's needs such that it becomes the default public space for the town's residents and visitors.
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