City

1) Whyte’s primary focus in this chapter is on the design qualities of the street. When discussing the street, Whyte talks about the importance of simplicity and understandability. His ideal design is one with few distractions that gets the passerby to focus on exactly what the designer wants them to and to navigate from store to store without any other distractions. In Whyte’s opinion it is also key for the street to depict a sense of socialization and enjoyment.
2) Much like Norman, Whyte focuses on the simplicity of design. He wants people to act naturally and not have to think about what they’re doing. Following Norman’s ideas of mapping, Whyte states that it should be clear to people what exactly they’re supposed to be doing; whether it be pushing or pulling, sitting or standing, entering or exiting, the street design must encourage specific actions. It is also vital that the street have few affordances. If the setting provides too many affordances other than commerce it can be detrimental to business.
3) When developing a checklist it is important to find a balance between making people comfortable and encouraging them to make purchases. Key points to consider include: aesthetics- it is important for the street to be clean and inviting, but at the same time not too beautiful as too much beauty distracts the potential customer; organized clutter- if clutter can be organized properly the sidewalk slows people down and draws their attention towards their surroundings rather than straight ahead; displays- vital for many different reasons, some attract customers because of low prices while others attract customers who are unconcerned with price; mood- all of these aspects tie into the mood of the design, the customer must be encouraged to shop through exciting and interesting design, but at the same time they must also enjoy the social experience of being on a crowded (not-too-crowded kind of crowded) street.