5.1 Public Realm Design Guidelines

Overall Aspirations

The guidelines contained within this section are based on design principles drawn from the Compendium’s Public Realm Strategy. These principles can be summarised as follows:

• To improve the quality of environment of the city centre to a standard commensurate with, or superior to, its national and international comparators;
  
• To build on work achieved to date to create a distinctive public realm for Sheffield;
  
• To implement a coherent and consistent design strategy for the improvement of the public realm;
  
• To establish standards of design to achieve a quality environment that is:
  
  • attractive, hospitable and safe;
    
  • appropriate to Sheffield;
    
  • robust, simple and elegant;
    
  • valued and well cared for;
    
  • distinctive and sometimes exciting;
    
  • of a high standard of craftsmanship; and
    
  • presents an image of Sheffield as a confident and progressive city.

The design principles and recommendations contained in part 3.3 of the Compendium have been interpreted in a series of guidelines. When applied to new developments, these guidelines should allow for a contemporary approach which encourages creative and innovative contributions in the redesign of Sheffield’s public realm and promotes the highest standard of design quality.

The aim of improving the environmental quality and design of streets and spaces must include the reduction of clutter within the streetscape, the introduction of fundamental characteristics of the philosophy of the design - boldness, simplicity, style and elegance - into the streets. The public realm guidelines have been considered under the following headings:

• Materials and Surfacing;
  
• Street furniture;
  
• Trees / Planting;
  
• Lighting;
  
• Signing;
  
• Climate and Structures;
  
• Access & Movement;
  
• Water;
  
• The Visual Arts;
  
• Accessibility.

The explanation of the design approach is illustrated by street furniture elements specifically designed for Sheffield’s city centre, successful public realm projects from the city and examples of comparator work from other cities.

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