Date of Submission
Spring 5-12-2026
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Zamila Karimi
Abstract
Why do outdoor public spaces in Atlanta not prioritize pedestrian well-being by providing comfort, safety, and service to their daily life? The built environment is a key determinant of overall well-being through the opportunity for social interaction, stimulation, safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging. The vehicular-centric design of Downtown Atlanta has resulted in pedestrians seeking comfort away from the ground level using viaducts, subterrain transit, and sky bridges. This historic removal of pedestrians from the streets of Atlanta has resulted in un-activated outdoor public spaces which do not fulfill the basic needs for pedestrian wellbeing. This thesis uses existing frameworks of placemaking to investigate how to activate a public place through a design focused on user well-being. By analyzing the constraints and opportunities of current urban spaces in Downtown Atlanta, this critique allows identification of the values most important to well-being in Downtown Atlanta’s urban spaces and can create a framework to address a new design. Through the review of work by the Project for Public Places, James Corner, and Townshend Landscape Architects, this research explores the performance of frameworks, programmatic approaches, forms, and assembly of outdoor public spaces in urban settings. The resulting design proposal demonstrates that an urban site can be activated with a kit of parts that implements biodiversity, cultural artifacts and moments, wayfinding, and opportunities for rest and gathering. The kit can create forms that channel movement, provide small moments of rest, and encourage community gathering. By establishing new amenities in Atlanta’s urban realm, the streetscape becomes an invitation for interaction with the built environment, community members, nature, and culture of Atlanta . As users gather and staying the public sphere, they cultivate a community and support the local economy.