Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_403166

14 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / JUNE 2024 Public Art Installations Can Foster Public Safety B eyond its aesthetic appeal, public art helps brighten spac- es, increase foot traffic, and promote civic pride – all characteris- tics that make a place feel safer and more welcoming. As the commercial real estate industry grapples with major challenges related to revitaliz- ing downtowns, increasing affordable housing, improving public transit and enhancing walkability, it’s critical that public art be part of the conversation. When integrated strategically with ma- jor infrastructure projects such as these, art installations can play a powerful role in reducing crime and creating safe, engaging places where people want to be. n Designing out crime. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, also referred to as “designing out crime,” is a multidisciplinary approach that aims to reduce crime through architecture and design practices that sup- port five principles: 1) surveillance – the ability for users to observe a space; 2) access control – controlling entry points to a space; 3) territoriality – clearly defining a space; 4) active support – promoting foot traffic in a space; and 5) maintenance – ensuring regularly scheduled, ongoing care for a space. And when planned early and integrated with intention, art can support each of these principles to create safe places that positively influence human behavior. A great example of this is the new mural at Seattle’s Site- line Apartments by MainStreet Property Group. Painted by local artist Alexandra Nason, the mural activates an alley- way and creates an extension of the nearby Seattle Center, meanwhile supporting the CPTED principles. Its bright col- ors and integrated lighting promote surveillance while cap- turing the attention of passersby and encouraging nearby gathering. Alex even painted small windows on the mural’s buildings, enticing viewers to slow down, “peek inside” and engage with the artwork up close to experience intimate scenes of Seattle. Further, the mural supports wayfinding by directing the flow of traffic toward the apartment build- ing, making it clear the alley is connected to the property and thus hindering unsolicited loitering. It even integrates with signage by using Siteline’s brand colors to indicate en- trance to the building’s parking garage. Combined with anti-graffiti coating and unique motifs nodding to Seattle’s history, Alex Nason’s large-scale mural serves as not just an incredible photo opportunity, but a public safety tool for Siteline residents and visitors alike. n Addressing the broken windows theory. Another way to think about art’s role in “designing out crime” is related to the broken windows theory, coined by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling. These experts asserted that visible signs of disorder lead to societal disorder (aka, places that “look bad” are bad). This disorder instills fear in- citizens and visitors, preventing them from spending time in such areas. Social abandonment then causes businesses to struggle, close and become vacant, creating space for fur- ther chaos. But if aesthetics can reinforce social behavior, then art can play a major role in revitalizing “broken windows.” As such, it’s critical that developers, architects, designers and contractors work with artists and consultants in the early stages to incorporate artistic interventions into the built environment. Our team did this for the Dairy Block Alley, where we helped reinvigorate an underutilized alleyway in Lower Downtown Denver. By infusing the alley with light, color, sound and activity, its utility gradually shifted from a place for trash pickup and smoke breaks to a bustling hub for concerts, art fairs and outdoor dining. From a 30-foot-tall sculpture marking the alley’s en- trance, to interactive “butter churns” that fill the alley with custom musical compositions, to a mirror installation that helps reflect, expand, and brighten the space – public art influences every moment of the visitor experience at Art with Impact Martha McGee CEO and Co-founder, Nine dot Arts Paul Brokering The 30-foot-tall “Spilt Milk” sculpture by Airworks Studio serves as a landmark installation, welcoming visitors into the alley.