(extra credit) W9: read Whyte’s book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces -- laoxinyi

1. How much did you read? 

I recently read William H. Whyte's "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces", from the preface to Chapter 11, and the appendix, and I read it carefully. To be honest, when I first read this book, I thought it was one of those "professional books" on urban design, which would be very dry and theoretical, but it turned out to be completely different. It was very interesting to read, and even a bit like reading the notes of a very smart and careful friend observing the world.

2. Did you find it interesting? Difficult? 

Whyte did the most "dumb" but also the most effective research: he sat next to the square, watching with his naked eyes, filming with a camera, and recording with a pen. He recorded how people sat, how they talked, how they basked in the sun, how they ate, and even the angles at which people stood and talked, and the paths they walked. Reading these observations, I couldn't help but nod from time to time: "Yes, yes, I've seen it on our campus!" Especially the chapter he talked about "seats" (Chapter 2), it was so real. He said that the most direct criterion for whether a space is good to use is whether there is a place to sit. This seems super ordinary, but think about it: whether we are willing to stay a little longer in the square, coffee shop, and shopping mall entrance is actually closely related to the number and shape of chairs, and even whether they are exposed to sunlight.

In terms of language, this book is not difficult at all. Whyte writes in a very approachable way, without any big words or technical terms (not like some sociology textbooks I have read before). The difficulty lies in that you have to "follow his observations" and put every detail in the book into real life to think about it. When you read it, you will find that this is not academic research on paper, but a dialogue with daily life. The best thing is that there are many cases and humorous descriptions interspersed in the book. It doesn't read like a textbook at all, and it even feels a bit like watching the commentary of a documentary about urban life.

3. Do you think it is a good book for students of social sciences in the 2020s?

My answer is: it is particularly suitable, and I think it is more important to read it now than 40 years ago. Why? Because we are now living in an era dominated by "data" and "efficiency". Everyone is talking about algorithms, big models, and fast planning, and Whyte reminds us: don't forget people. He did not use AI or modeling, but relied on his eyes and heart. His research tells us that the success of public space does not depend on how advanced the building is, but on whether people are willing to stay there, talk to others, eat a hot dog, and bask in the sun.

For social science students, this book is a compulsory course on "human nature and space" and a model for us to learn "observation". It not only allows you to see the relationship between design and social behavior, but also teaches you how to extract social meaning from the most daily behavior.

After reading The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, when I walk in the street square, I will unconsciously start to observe the people around me in a "Whyte-style" way, thinking: Why are they standing there? Why is this place always empty? Why are everyone hanging around a small coffee cart? This made me realize that social science is so close to life.

Recommended to all friends who want to study people, space, and how we "live together".