making

This is an image showing the public right-of-way along the riverfront in Bilbao, Spain. This photograph was taken on a spectacular pedestrian bridge that crosses the river that runs through town and eventually empties into the sea. You can catch a glimpse of Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in the upper portion of the image. What startles me is how much space and infrastructure was offered to the pedestrian in a relatively low traffic area. A generous, luxurious amount of space that is thoughtfully subdivided provides an extremely pleasant, safe and stress-free walking or jogging experience. One could certainly argue, based on this image taken in the early morning, that perhaps it was disproportional based on the traffic. However, it represents an aspiration and priority of experience over efficient movement of traffic through a particular corridor — infrastructure that enhances and elevates life. 

In the past I have written about several rights-of-way that were clearly not designed for human beings, so it seemed appropriate that I share at least one example that was. It is interesting to note that the automobile traffic is not given priority — it is limited to one lane. The car lane is generous but flanked by a two-way bike path and a row of parked cars, which serve as a buffer for the wide sidewalk that fronts the buildings. Even the light rail is run through a beautiful softscape with a lush carpet of grass and occasional grove of trees. The main pedestrian corridor is divided into two generous strips split by a serpentine concrete bench. Each mode of transportation is isolated but connected at the crosswalks that correspond to major intersections that lead into the urban fabric. The path in either direction frames the river, buildings and mountains beyond – a dynamic, civilized, satisfying experience.