Emerson Place - More Revelations on Public Space

While the exploring an area behind the Lebanon CCBA this past week, I came upon a small, but great public space. Rather than allowing this thin area of land behind the tall Emerson Place apartments overgrow and become inaccessible, the land was developed

into a lovely public space. The little size of the area means the space has little impact on the surrounding environment, but is still able to provide a big impact on the lifestyle of the people living in the apartments.

The Emerson Place apartments are not located in the best area. Even though they are near the center of town, these apartments are near the highway and have little outdoor space. This small area behind the apartments helps improve the location of the apartments by providing access to the CCBA and its park, as well as enjoyment of the

Mascoma River nearby. The way the strip of land curves around the apartments and leads into the community garden area is also a nice touch, adding green space to the entire area around the apartments. The public garden also helps enhance the large-resident community by encouraging the tenants to spend time outdoors. It is important that apartments that house so many residents take advantage of every piece of the property to provide a healthy living environment for its residents. 

The utilized public space feels good to be in for many reasons. The entrance into this space is inviting with a clear path mowed out under many trees that curve over the path. This promotes a sense of privacy in the public space and creates flow when

moving from one area to the next. It also

creates a feeling of mystery that encourages a visitor to go into the public space. Once one is in the space, the sudden openness of the area allows visitors to appreciate the river and natural views just outside their doorsteps. The multiple benches placed in the area make the public space make it attractive to spend a longer period of time enjoying the space. The benches are even positioned to catch shade throughout different times of day despite there being few trees directly in the sitting area. While it is not the most aesthetically-pleasing strategy to leave a space completely mowed with few trees and planted vegetation, it works in this particular area by making the small space feel larger and easier to walk through. Letting a lot of the natural river vegetation grow near the area also makes the space feel more a part of the surrounding environment. This river and the close by trees also shield the public space from the highway.

Even the minor addition of a staircase makes the space better as it adds a nice transition from the parking lot next to the apartments into the outdoor area.

These small, but important details make this public space a respite from the nearby highway and high-rise apartment life. There are multiple small ways to make a public space enjoyable to be in. One just has to try to understand what it would be like to be in the space, and what it would take to make a visit to the public space a positive one.