This research seeks to demonstrate the ways in which urban design frameworks stimulate and encourage social activities in urban public squares. We observed two public squares in Brisbane using a framework of design factors identified from existing literature to examine how such a framework correlates with user activities and engagement. The observation identifies patterns of public behaviour suggesting clear links between the design factors and the public’s engagement with them. The results show that activated areas of social gathering draw people in, and the busier a space is, both the frequency and the duration of people lingering in the space increase. The study suggests that simply providing respite from the urban environment (and/or weather conditions) does not adequately encourage social interaction and that people-friendly design factors can instigate social activities. One of the primary conclusions of this study is that members of the public in Brisbane are both actively and passively social and often seek out locations where people-watching and being around other members of the public are facilitated and encouraged. The research provides the basis for further debates on what public space in Brisbane should cater for and how it could better contribute to its urban context.

本研究旨在展示城市设计框架如何刺激和鼓励城市公共广场的社会活动。我们使用从现有文献中确定的设计因素框架观察了布里斯班的两个公共广场，以检查此类框架如何与用户活动和参与度相关联。观察确定了公众行为模式，表明设计因素与公众参与之间存在明确联系。结果表明，社交聚会的活跃区域会吸引人们进入，并且空间越繁忙，人们在空间中逗留的频率和持续时间都会增加。该研究表明，仅仅提供远离城市环境（和/或天气条件）的喘息机会并不能充分鼓励社交互动，而人性化的设计因素可以激发社交活动。本研究的主要结论之一是，布里斯班的公众既积极又消极地社交，并且经常寻找可以促进和鼓励人们观察和与其他公众接触的地方。该研究为进一步辩论布里斯班的公共空间应该满足什么以及它如何更好地为其城市环境做出贡献提供了基础。本研究的主要结论之一是，布里斯班的公众既积极又消极地社交，并且经常寻找可以促进和鼓励人们观察和与其他公众接触的地方。该研究为进一步辩论布里斯班的公共空间应该满足什么以及它如何更好地为其城市环境做出贡献提供了基础。本研究的主要结论之一是，布里斯班的公众既积极又消极地社交，并且经常寻找可以促进和鼓励人们观察和与其他公众接触的地方。该研究为进一步辩论布里斯班的公共空间应该满足什么以及它如何更好地为其城市环境做出贡献提供了基础。