49 incredible public-space transformations captured by Google Street View
We are a society "addicted to cars," according to the four young founders of Urb-i.
Traffic lanes and parking take precedent over green spaces and outdoor seating. People traveling on foot are quarantined to tiny sidewalks.
It just doesn't seem fair. Fortunately, the founders of Urb-i have an addiction of their own ...
They're obsessed with Google Street View.
Yuval Fogelson spends hours diving into the search engine's rabbit hole, scanning the world for stunning public space redesigns that favor pedestrians over vehicles.
In some areas, Google Street View offers a timeline of images, so you can see how a space has evolved over time.
It's pretty satisfying to see the results.
Urb-i began curating the images in a gallery, hoping to showcase public spaces that put pedestrians — and cyclists — first.
"I have already developed a few strategies to finding these transformations, and quite frankly, I'm addicted," says Fogelson.
The group keeps tabs on urban transformation blogs and architectural projects, so they know where to check on Google Street View.
The before-and-after images look like reflections, thanks to carefully angled screenshots.
Today, Urb-i's before-and-after gallery contains more than 1,000 public-space transformations from around the world.
In São Paulo, Brazil, where Urb-i's members work at a socially responsible architecture firm, this curb got a new life with paving and a park bench.
The makeovers vary in scale. An alleyway in San Francisco is nearly unrecognizable after an outdoor seating area is installed.
Two pavilions made of glass and steel jazz up this street in Milan, Italy. A ticket office and a cultural event space operate inside.
Archways add some decadence to a side street in Singapore.
Sometimes all it takes is a sidewalk.
"For the pedestrian, an extra meter or two of sidewalk means a whole lot," Urb-i says.
Size isn't the only thing that matters.
"If designed well," Urb-i says, a public space "functions as a place of permanence where we socialize, rather than just a passage to get us from Point A to Point B."
Let's take a look at some more examples.
A little greenery goes a long way in Budapest, Hungary.
Pedestrians can enjoy the shrubbery in Lyon, France, too.
Fake trees and art installations work well in Montréal, Canada.
Montréal's Avenue du Musée doesn't disappoint either, with a rotating sculpture installation available for public viewing.
A new boardwalk outside Seoul, South Korea, lends stunning views of a river.
These planter boxes make for a perfect place to each lunch on a rare sunny day in Seattle.
There's no more parking allowed on Van Gogh Walk in London, England.
49 incredible public-space transformations captured by Google Street View
Designers can get creative with pavement, too. A semi-circle pattern spruces up a public space in Lower Manhattan.
Copenhagen, Denmark, has a case of the spots.
Madrid, Span, gets its very own, star-studded walk of fame.
Across town in Madrid, a public space gets the cobblestone treatment.
Where once there were cars, bicycles reign supreme in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A main artery in Brussels, Belgium, gets a bike lane for safety.
Almada, Portugal, looks like a postcard with its new public square.
Not far away in Lisbon, Portgual, pedestrians and motorists seem to share the space, instead of competing for it.
London's Granary Square gets a face-lift.
In Tel Aviv, Israel, a raised platform offers a place to rest while you run errands.
You won't find any cars in this beautiful grove in Amsterdam.
Paris, France, swaps a roadway for public transit, giving pedestrians a whole new view.
A bustling street in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, turns into a tranquil walkway.
We might even call this an excessive amount of sidewalk in Budapest, Hungary.
This intersection in Lyon, France, looks totally different.
Over in Toulouse, France, a park takes the place of a parking lot.
This makeover in Seattle is just stunning.
While Fogelson curates most of the before-and-after images himself, there is a way public-space enthusiasts can help.
In January, Urb-i started a collaborators program so people can volunteer time searching for transformations on Google Street View.
He hopes to eventually launch a platform where people can share proposals for future before-and-after public space transformations.
"We are seeking to create a bottom-up network which will connect professionals, residents, designers, and hopefully decision-makers," Fogelson says.
You can see more before-and-after images (and contribute your own) by visiting Urb-i's website.
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