America Needs More “Quaint Tiny Spaces
Spending some time in Europe is always good for causing a proud American to reflect. I was sitting on the patio of a café in Rome. It was in a narrow corridor, with twinkle lights and trellised bougainvillea wrapping between the awning of the café and the stone building across the street — if you can call it a street, no wider than could fit two golf carts passing each other from opposite directions.
"Why is it that Americans romanticize "space" and yet are charmed by the constricted, loud, maze-like spaces that are so common in Europe?"
I noticed that I didn’t go more than three minutes without seeing a tourist stop to take pictures of the quaint space (most of them American). And I wondered, why is it that Americans romanticize “space” in movies, books, poetry, music, and honestly every component of pop culture you can think of, and yet are charmed by these constricted, loud, maze-like spaces that are so common in historic European towns.
How American History Wired Us for Wide Open Thinking
There are many historical factors affecting America’s obsession with wide open spaces. I think most of us are familiar that the advent of the automobile (not coincidentally an American invention) marked a watershed change for American culture and urban design. Preceding that were two centuries of trends drawing Americans to low population areas: the Corps of Discovery, Manifest Destiny, the Oregon/Santa Fe/California trails, Roosevelt/Pinchot’s establishment of the National Parks, system, etc. But the roots go deeper. From the beginning our nation’s founders went out of their way to differentiate the agrarian/rural nature of America from the corrupting influence of City life.
An example of such a café in Trastevere (Rome, IT). Do the adjoining property owners spend much time arguing about whether the overhanging greenery is the proper length according to the City’s land use code?
With all this legacy, obviously it is hard-wired into us to be suspicious of dense urban environments. As with anything deeply cultural, we may not even be aware of the philosophy that feeds into this natural aversion. It would be too ambitious to conclusively unravel all these topics. In fact, it may not even make sense to do so. There are philosophical reasons for certain first order conditions, but after that first-generation people’s thoughts are shaped by their environment, and their environments are shaped by their thoughts, and so on. It becomes an endless feedback loop. But much like photocopying a photocopy, each iteration takes you one step further away from the original vintage. Hence, the current Frankenstein we have now assembled to guide our urban planning process, has some resemblance to the original intention of the American Dream but along they way it has picked up other ideas and influences.
“When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.”
- Thomas Jefferson, 1800
So, let me seek to outline the cluster of ideas that affect our built environment, in not too precise of an order:
1.
Americans are obsessed with safety and equality of access. I know this makes me sound like an “ableist” but let’s be real. About 99% of the treasures of western Europe are inaccessible to people with disabilities, or who are not in adequate shape, or who simply are too afraid to risk walking down a street that is shared with pedestrians, tiny manual vehicles, and mopeds. Furthermore, if we required access to these spaces in the same way that the US does, they would lose their very essence.
2.
American’s crave things that unquestionably belong to a single individual, without question. This mentality is not bad in and of itself. It isn’t likely to produce public art, not to mention the public investment required to create piazzas, fontanas, frescos, and the like. In America, we get to the point that people are willing to march downtown on a Tuesday night to protest their neighbor parking their vehicle 8 inches too far into their perceived personal space. To have spaces that are treasured by a community, requires a level of communal thinking that seems lost in the personal space obsessed American context.
3.
I fear there is also a darker side to the individualist mentality. If we build everything perfectly safe and accessible, there is no need for people to help other people. In the European context it is not uncommon for family members to give up significant time helping needy family members get groceries, get up and down stairs, to and from places, etc. In America, it’s as if we are telling our elders, “We gave you a handicapped parking spot and a social security check, what else do you want from us?!”
4.
Part of the notion of space connects with our innate desire for freedom. You can’t beat freedom, no questions here. However, ultimate, unrestrained freedom is ultimately very lonely and unsatisfying. In this sense, personal space and psychological space are very interconnected. In tight spaces, one person’s actions affect everyone and everyone knows it. In Europe, you sit close to people you don’t know. You inhale their second hand smoke. Strangers bump into you with seemingly no regrets. Nobody gets annoyed about it, except maybe an occasional grumpy American.
5.
American’s (perhaps first) love is efficiency. In my multiple trips to Europe, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a European drinking coffee while driving. For Americans, this is just one of the 47 things that they can multi-task during their daily commute. We come to expect convenience and efficiency and therefore design spaces to suit it. When you are able to cover 3 miles by car within 1 minute, there isn’t much reason to focus on public art (unless you count an occasion tasteful billboard). When the space is designed to be moved through slowly, the entire geometry of space changes. Every 5 feet is an opportunity for another architectural or artistic flourish.
Why We Still Need Tight Spaces That Bring Us Together
Again, I want to reiterate that none of our American instincts are “bad” in and of themselves. Perhaps the most American of all traits is to absolutize a principal so far that there is no wiggle room for variance or discretion. In the perfect America, I still want wide open spaces, private property, red meat, and all the trappings that come with it. But, I’d like to see more spaces that push us to live and think more communally. And if you don’t agree, you have no room for stopping to take a picture of that quaint little space next time you wander the streets of Rome.
PC News
Recently Completed Projects
Bisbee Comprehensive Housing Study, City of Bisbee (AZ)
PC and the City of Bisbee, AZ worked together on a housing study for the City that would help inform city policy and the upcoming Comprehensive Plan Update. Our team completed community engagement with Bisbee residents, which includes a series of townhalls, interviews, and housing survey (offered in both English and Spanish). PC and Bisbee then collaborated to produce recommendations and an implementable housing action plan that promotes healthy residential development in the region. The report is currently undergoing final edits and design before being presented to the public.
Read the report here: Burnishing Bisbee: An Action Plan for Preserving & Enhancing Housing Opportunities – Points Consulting
Rifle Housing Needs Assessment & Code Update, City of Rifle (CO)
The City of Rifle, Colorado, and the PC team began working on housing needs assessment and zoning code update in July 2024. In accordance with the Strong Communities grant best practices, the end goal of this project is to provide solid recommendations for code updates for the City that help promote affordable housing. Our team is in the final stages of editing and designing the document, with final presentations to the City Scheduled for August 2025.
Read the report here: Rooted in Rifle: 2025 Housing Study & Action Plan – Points Consulting
Ongoing Projects
City of Cheney Comprehensive Plan, City of Cheney Planning Department (WA) & Nexus Planning Services
Douglas County Comprehensive Plan Update, Douglas County (WA) & Anchor QEA
Chelan Comprehensive Plan Updates and Land Capacity Analysis, City of Chelan (WA) & Anchor QEA
Fruita Housing Needs Study & Action Plan, City of Fruita (CO)
Firestone Central Park Feasibility Study, Town of Firestone (CO)
Port of Coos Bay Strategic Business Plan, Port of Coos Bay (OR)
Ketchikan Indian Community Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), Ketchikan Indian Community (AK)
Okanogan County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), Economic Alliance of Okanogan County (WA)
Ridgway & Ouray County Housing Needs Assessment, Town of Ridgway and Ouray County (CO)
Indiana Construction Workforce Supply & Demand Forecast, Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation (IN)
New Jersey Manufacturing Industry Insights, Cross Sector Consulting (NJ)
2025 Rhode Island State of Manufacturing Report, Polaris MEP (RI) & Cross Sector Consulting
FFA Strategic Plan Environmental Scan, National FFA Organization & Schunk Moreland Strategies
Places We've Been This Month
We spent a lot of time in Colorado this month, visiting four separate clients! We also stopped by Arizona and Oregon.
City of Bisbee, AZ
The Bisbee Housing Needs Assessment is drawing to a close, so took a trip to Bisbee to present our findings and collect feedback.
City of Fruita, CO
Though a little hazy due to the nearby wildfires, our team was still able to enjoy a beautiful morning in Fruita, CO while visiting City leadership. Touring the City provides firsthand experience for us as we develop Fruita’s Housing Needs Study and Action Plan.
Port of Coos Bay, OR
We visited Coos Bay to meet with the Port leadership, who we will work with throughout our development of the Port’s Strategic Business Plan. We were also able to assess the Port’s facilities, properties and assets in person.
Ridgway & Ouray County, CO
To get a feel for the Town’s housing landscape, we took a trip to Ridgway, CO. This also allowed us to meet the Town and County leadership we have been working with on the region’s Housing Assessment.
City of Rifle, CO
As we wrap up the Housing Needs and Zoning Code update for Rifle, CO, we dropped by for a presentation of our key findings to the City.
City of Firestone, CO
As we determine the economic feasibility of Firestone’s Central Park development, we had the pleasure of meeting with the Firestone Planning Department and our long-time partners, Card & Associates, as well as tour the future development site.
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