We often form our opinion of a city by judging the quality of its public spaces. If they give us a hard time, most likely we won’t be too psyched about returning to it.
And unfortunately, there are plenty of ways urban planners and interior designers ruin our everyday life and force us into dreadful anxiety-inducing situations.
They make us sit on uncomfortable benches, walk around trippy floors, and go number two in bathroom stalls so revealing, others are able to see our facial expressions.
Here is the worst public space “solutions” ever created—we deserve better!
1. The Chairs Waiting For You In The Laser Eye Clinic’s Reception
2. “I’m Sure You’re All Wondering Why I’ve Gathered You Here Today”
To learn more about the topic, I got in touch with interior architect and lecturer of interior design at Vilnius College of Design, Judita Striukienė.
When we hear the term public space, we usually think of the outdoors. “Places like parks, gardens, and squares are often popular city attractions,” Striukienė told Bored Panda. “They not only provide environmental and recreational benefits but also form a city’s identity.”
3. No Words Needed Here
4. As If Public Toilets Didn’t Give Me Enough Anxiety
However, public spaces can also be indoors. “These interiors can be both functional and aesthetic,” Striukienė said.
“Think of health service establishments, for example. A well-executed professional interior design can even have a positive effect on the patients. It can relieve their stress and put them in a calmer state of mind.”
In fact, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, the co-founder of the architecture firm Snøhetta, argues that architects must begin considering indoor space just as public as outdoor space.
“Maybe with the sole exception of railway stations, public space is generally understood as outdoor space,” Thorsen wrote. “Whether in the United States or in Europe, especially now with heightened concerns around security, there seems to be this determined way of privatizing everything that is indoors, even as we are increasingly aiming to improve access to public space outdoors. But in the layered systems of our cities of the future, we will need to focus on the public spaces that are found inside buildings—and make them accessible.”