Can automobiles, bicycles, and pedestrians share streets without the mediation of traffic lights, road signs, and designated lanes? Planning proposals initiated by the Space movement in a variety of Dutch towns rely on personal interactions between motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to self-regulate movement and reduce traffic accidents. Shared Space planning removes sidewalks, stop signs, and road markings, leaving a space for interaction between citizens.
Space originated with the Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Monderman’s approach to rebuilding the quality of public space addressed questions of citizenship, collectivism, and landscape from the perspective of road safety.