Nightlife districts play a crucial role in city centres not only do they create entertainment but they attract large crowds to the city which greatly contribute to the economic state of the area, in particular, alcohol related establishments (Van Liempt and Van Aalst, 2012). These large crowds, however, can pose as a serious safety concern especially when combined with nightlife culture. So how can we use urban design to mitigate these safety concerns whilst preserving the essence of these cultural entertainment hubs.
The use of Crime prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is one of the more successful ways in which safety in nightlife districts can be improved. CPTED is defined by C Ray Jeffery (1977) as “the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime, and an improvement in the quality of life”. Aspects of this include the use of Natural Surveillance, the creation of a sense of ownership in the area, the maintenance of an area, and social cohesion. Although these are not the traditional or most common governmental response of the intensification of surveillance an policing (Norris, 2007), these methods reduce these safety issues while maintaining the character of these centres of cultural enjoyment.
Nightlife districts are favoured and popularised y their edgy, adventurous, and sometimes dangerous character (Hubbard, 2006), which is why the safety design is crucial to balancing public order with the vibrant, edgy appeal that makes nightlife districts attractive.
Another relevant theory is the Broken Window Theory. This is the idea that a well-maintained space with little visible disorder sends a subconscious message to the general public that anti-social behaviours is not tolerated and that the area is monitored (Ren, Zhao and He, 2017). According to the theory, signs of neglect can instigate a sense of lawlessness.
Ultimately, the creation of safer nightlife districts does not have to strip the character away from the area. Through less used design strategies like CPTED and the principles of Broken Window Theory, cities can mitigate safety concerns while preserving culturally and economically rich spaces. Design strategies which prioritise natural oversight, well maintained environments, and community ownership help designers ensure that nightlife areas remain both safe, and exciting.
List of Figures:
Cover Image: Avdeeko, A. (27AD). Reconstruction Uspenska Square in Dnipro. ArchDaily.
Figure 1: London’s crowded nightlife scene (Accessed From: Piero Cruciatti (2013) Nightlife in London, Dreamstime.)
Figure 2: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design diagram (Accessed From:MBA, G.H. (2021) Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, Paragon Architecture.)
References:
C Ray Jeffery (1977). Crime prevention through environmental design. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Hubbard, P. (2006). The Geographies of ‘Going Out’: Emotion and Embodiment in the Evening Economy. In: Emotional Geographies. Routledge.
Norris, C. (2007). The Intensification and Bifurcation of Surveillance in British Criminal Justice Policy. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 13(1-2), pp.139–158. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-006-9032-1.
Ren, L., Zhao, J. “Solomon” and He, N. “Phil” (2017). Broken Windows Theory and Citizen Engagement in Crime Prevention. Justice Quarterly, [online] 36(1), pp.1–30. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2017.1374434.
Van Liempt, I. and Van Aalst, I. (2012). Urban Surveillance and the Struggle between Safe and Exciting Nightlife Districts. Surveillance & Society, 9(3), pp.280–292. doi:https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v9i3.4270.
