Boring cities: what makes them so?

[jswanek]

.

I assume we're talking about SAFE cities when we want them not to be boring. I find physical layout important. If there is no place for an individual to safely get away from the crowd and "hide" while outdoors, that place is boring. Alleys, micro-parks, gazebo-type shelters, open side and rear commercial yards, old buildings with empty floors, etc., make things interesting...SAFE then depends on the age structure of the community, the national and local economy, and other factors.

I find the newer parts of Las Vegas to be intensely boring by this standard, where you have to get to your room to ever be alone.

.

[RPfresh]

I agree that young people (20-35) make a city more vibrant, or can, but then the problem becomes the inability to get these people to show up in the city in the first place. And I agree that urban planning as entertainment is something that is going to happen, seeing as cities would love to have those people and want to draw them in. Bloomberg talked about this in a press release, saying that to attract and keep young people the city needed the best nightclubs or something. I think that nightlife and vibrancy attracts more nightlife and vibrancy, so a city probably needs a little spark or nucleus to start it off and attract the first adventurers.

[Pragmatic Idealist]

Context is also important; T5 and T6 design cues may help people approach and understand a "boring" city in a different way.

[Rygor]

"In Soviet Russia, cities find PEOPLE boring!" [/Yakov Smirnoff]

A lot of good points have been hit upon, but I would add a few:

1. Diversity of architecture, presence of public art, intersting streetscape, etc.
2. Interesting public spaces (or private gathering spaces like local hangouts, etc.)
3. Visible street activity (are there sidewalk cafes? business with window displays? people walking around?)
4. A sense of history

[illinoisplanner]

I think a major factor is whether or not there is a large(r) city nearby. I've heard too many times people say that my former college town DeKalb was boring, and these were college students, and they would go home on the weekends. It was a suitcase/commuter school. Well of course, you'll find it boring if you have a world class city, Chicago, an hour away.

But is a Midwestern college town like DeKalb really that boring? Not at all. Restaurants serving food all night long, bars open til 2 at least, weekdays like Thursday being real happening times, college athletics & tailgating, live music from the bars to the Convo Center, tons of clubs/organizations, frats/sororities, house parties on any given day of the week, historical museums, theaters, an active political scene, and a gritty but somewhat lively downtown.

But people find the glitz and glamor of Chicago more exciting, or they love the dance clubs and pretentious nature associated with the city. Some people just love techno, grinding, dressing up, and paying $50 every time you go out. Whatever. I'd rather get blitzed for less than $20 and wear whatever I was wearing that day and chill with my friends and enjoy some real music.

So if you are within reasonable access to a world class city like L.A., Chicago, or New York, I'm sure that plays a significant role in people's perceptions.

[fringe]

Boredom is a problem on the part of the subjective viewpoint, not of the objective environment.