Yoos and James explore the evolving history of the architectural idea behind the design of pedestrian systems under distinct social, geographic, and political contexts. The skywalk is not only a tool for connecting the interior spaces in the cities for improving pedestrian convenience and managing traffic flow but also could be seen as a product of accelerating urbanization, fast-paced economic development, or used to foster social cohesion.
I am particularly interested in Gruen’s idea and totally agree with what was praised by Jane Jacobs, the urban design should be ‘bottom-up,’ which focuses on society and human activities. Gruen’s vision went beyond consumerism; what he had in mind was creating multifunctional social centers and focusing on the suburbanites as social beings. Looking back to Hong Kong, similar features could be found in the footbridges connecting shopping malls, residential areas, and transport junctions in Tseung Kwan O. Apart from commuting consuming, socially-oriented activities also take place such as chatting between neighbors, which demonstrate an interactive pedestrian environment and residents also feel a sense of belonging under interaction.
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Well-written summary and interesting opinion. Tseung Kwan O is one of the areas that is filled with footbridges. Some comments have stated that the bridges have killed the street life. What do you think of this?