Women and Public Spaces

Up till the mid to late 80's town planning and architecture were male dominated, so I will grant that the design in terms of access will have been carried out by a male point of view. However in looking at the intended use of the space plus the brief from the commissioning agency, it would be based on the assumption that Women, and Men, and Children would all have conformed to a standard height and shape. So doorways, stairs, lifts, atm as Kritique said would all be fine for those people.

The fact that more women are now in both of those professions seems to have made little difference to the accessibility for a wide range of people not just disabled people in the design of public spaces. In fact some of the designs incorporated in to public spaces especially catering for women, clothes shops, changing rooms, leisure and work places are still as innacessable as before. Having a disability in terms of access and the ability to navigate round a public space or use as intended a public space is not gendered. A women with a guide dog will have the same generic needs as a man etc.

A classic example is the height at which things are installed - from kitchen cupboards to ATMs, from hand dryers in toilets to information boards. A classic example is the height at which things are installed - from kitchen cupboards to ATMs, from hand dryers in toilets to information boards.

Could just be the men who install them rather than "industry standard". I'm just under average height for a man and I can tell you there is nothing so disheartening as walking into a public toilet and finding the urinals have been installed by a 6ft male with no imagination.

Please don't lay the blame completely at the feet of planners & architects - it's often not about being cutting edge. Good characteristics are often cut out in the design process as part of the 'value engineering' of large projects. Accountants & clients( corporate) often cannot see the 'value' so the little things that often can make a place work and interact with human nature so they are cut because they 'cost' too much. It's soul destroying when that happens as you know it'll be you who is blame rather than those behind the scenes controlling the budget.

Actually most public spaces like airports and train stations have been designed to balance the needs of maintenance (horrendous wear and tear) and efficiency. It's about getting people through safely, efficiently and in truly huge numbers.
It's not really a gender thing more a product of function.

But surely characteristics seen as "feminine" and "masculine" in themselves have changed over time, and are to a certain degree subjective. The pink princess culture wasn't relentlessly marketed when I was a child in the 60's and 70's. Some styles of dress and design from the past might come across as "masculine" or "feminine" to us with our 21st century eyes, but that wasn't the case at the time.

To be fair, I think the design of alot of public places can be alienating to human beings full stop. Planners, architects and designers can get so caught up in being "cutting edge," that they forget completely about the functions that need to be carried out in spaces, and what human beings need to make that happen!

However, I agree with Alexpolismum's point about the "industry standard" for design being a non disabled adult male. A classic example is the height at which things are installed - from kitchen cupboards to ATMs, from hand dryers in toilets to information boards. Transport is another massive issue. In our town, there used to be 3 GP surgeries. People tended to register with the one closest to them, or at least easiest to reach (not easy with a river running through the town and only 2 bridges across!) This year, they moved all 3 into a swish purpose built health centre. However, the nearest bus stop is a 10 minute walk, and some folks on the other side of what is a relatively small town have to take THREE different buses to reach the centre. It's ridiculous.

Traditional public houses (pubs) have a lot of soft furnishings; carpets, heavy curtains; upholstered seats.

I always thought that public spaces used clean lines because they are easier to keep clean (pink fluff would be a nightmare!) and the colours are usually quite neutral to avoid any "trends" so they don't date as quickly and need redecorating so often.

Not just able bodied men, able bodied women, men, and children. Societies need for accessibility was about a stereotype of people using two legs and being of a similer height to each other. This is not gendered.

In terms of schools and primary schools in particular, perhaps in more modernised cities large gaps have appeared, but those like mine and many others have at least 2 schools in close proximity to each high level of housing area. With school closures and amalgamations some communities have had choice limited and on a rare occasion removed altogether.

I think that's a really interesting thought Maggie.

Traditionally a lot of private space has been coded as female and public space as male - it's not a new association by any means. In the past things like Classical motifs in architecture will have marked space as male. The majority of the Victorian home must have felt like a very female space, with all the soft surfaces and textiles. Perhaps we can extend your idea to think about how the home is also less feminine than it used to be, with the vogue for minimalism - (which DOES not mean that all men like minimalism and no women do, before anyone accuses me of saying that, but there are certain colours and styles that are traditionally associated with men and others associated with women.) There are some very 'male' kitchens about these days, all stainless steel and clean lines.

I think public spaces are 'adult' rather than 'masculine'

where I live there is also an issue of street lighting in residential areas and a total lack of pavements

I don't know about public spaces in general, but I do think towns and cities as a whole are set up to suit able-bodied men. Think about the proximity of schools to residential areas, provision for the disabled, provision for childcare within walking distance, how easy it is or isn't to get about with young children...

I am clearly missing the point but, to me, saying your dd will feel wrong footed in public spaces because she likes pink & fluffy now is like me saying my sons will feel wrong footed because the public spaces do not look like Gotham City.

I have never felt wrong footed in a public space. I like cold, clean lines and hate pink and fluffy.