William H. Whyte (1980)
Project for Public Spaces.
Abstract. Whyte's empirical fieldwork — long-form time-lapse observation of plazas in New York — produced the simplest design rules for public spaces ever derived: sittable edges, movable seats, sun and shade, visible food, triangulation, and the women-to-men ratio as a lead indicator of plaza quality. Methodologically the closest cousin to think-aloud usability testing.
Tags: built-environment public-space empirical