El Jardín at the center of San Miguel life
By Atención staff August 29, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

The heart of a city is a place of vibrant cultural activity that not only gives people a sense of identity, but expresses that identity as well.

In the article “Ten Principles for Creating Successful Squares,” the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public places that build communities, notes the small details that add up to great places. 

To really succeed, a square must take into account a host of factors that extend beyond its physical dimensions. 

From San Miguel’s landmark feature, the Parroquia church, the Jardín is the central point of the city. Attractions abound from early in the morning until late at night. Buy a newspaper, have a shoeshine, indulge in an ice cream from a horse-drawn cart or a coffee at one of the sidewalk cafes during the day. In the evening, grab a hamburger or mayonnaise-covered elote, listen to mariachi serenades or dance to danzón around the kiosk. 

The Esplanade in front of the Parroquia constantly hosts free performances—stages are erected for classical, jazz, Latin and chamber music concerts, theater performances and film screenings. It serves as the meeting or departure points for parades, races and, of course, pilgrimages. As the seasons change so does the Jardín—a live nativity scene and Christmas tree appear every December, as do huge altars for El Dia de los Muertos in November.

To support this heart of the city, authorities have redirected bus routes away from streets near the Jardín to decrease bottlenecks and reduce on-street parking spaces. 

Atención looks at San Miguel’s very own Jardín and finds, as we already knew, that it rates a 10 on the 10-point PPS chart!

1. Image and identity

Historically, squares were the center of communities and they traditionally helped shape the identity of entire cities. Sometimes a fountain was used to give the square a strong image, such as the majestic Trevi Fountain in Rome. 

2. Attractions and destinations

Any great square has a variety of smaller “places” within it to appeal to various people. These attractions don’t need to be big to make the square a success. 

3. Amenities

A square should feature amenities that make it comfortable for people to use.

4. Flexible design

The use of a square changes during the course of the day, week and year. To respond to these natural fluctuations, flexibility needs to be built in. 

5. Seasonal strategy

A successful square can’t flourish with just one design or management strategy. 

6. Access

To be successful, a square needs to be easy to get to. 

7. The inner square and the outer square

Visionary planner Frederick Law Olmsted’s ideas of the “inner park” and the “outer park” are just as relevant today as they were in 1858 when he designed Central Park. The streets and sidewalks around a square greatly affect its accessibility and use, as do the buildings surrounding it. 

8. Reaching out like an octopus

Just as important as the edge of a square is the way that streets, sidewalks and ground floors of adjacent buildings lead into it. Vehicles slow down, walking becomes more enjoyable and pedestrian traffic increases. 

9. The central role of management

The best places are ones that people return to time and time again. The only way to achieve this is through a management plan that understands and promotes ways of keeping the square safe and lively. 

10. Diverse funding sources

A well-managed square is generally beyond the scope of the average city parks or public works department, which is why partnerships have been established.

Find the complete article at: www.pps.org/parksplazassquares/info/
parksplazassquaresarticles/squaresprinciples