Technological Institute of the Philippines
P. Casal St. Quiapo, Manila
College of Engineering and Architecture
Architecture Department
Course: AR453
Course Description: Fundamentals of Urban Design and Community Architecture
A reflection paper to Jane Jacobs’ the Uses of Sidewalks: Safety” from The Death and Life
of Great American Cities (1961)
By _________Ma. Lailanie B. Treyes_________
Throughout the years of studying Architecture, I always focus on the bigger scale
of planning which is on the center part of the project which are the buildings, the orientation, the
development of the landscape and consideration of the users; not focusing too much on the outer
part or the small scale of designing which are the consideration of streets and sidewalks which
Jane Jacobs studied by her own experiences of her surroundings which also gave a huge impact
to the urban planning.
Streets and sidewalks are the main public places of a city according to Jane
Jacobs. If we begin to look at streets as places, rather than through ways or through a path, we
see them as the deeply human spaces that they are. Streets are one of the most essential public
spaces, with which we interact on a daily basis. Sidewalks functions overlook the important role
that people play in everyday lives, it is easy to be unaware of the value that they offer. Sidewalks
however, are exceptionally important, and provide humans with easy access to homes,
businesses, shops, and as a means to safely walk to any number of destinations. In which there
was an issue in our city which is particularly in our barangay in which people walking on the
street tend to look at their front and at their back while they are walking or passing through the
street in order to know if there are vehicles that will pass by because of not having an intended
TREYES, MA. LAILANIE B. 1
Technological Institute of the Philippines
P. Casal St. Quiapo, Manila
College of Engineering and Architecture
Architecture Department
path for walking. That’s a reason why our city right now having a road widening project for the
purpose of putting sidewalks Safe streets for walking must be considered as a basic human right,
given that, for many, walking is one of the first skills acquired in childhood, and one of the last
things to let go of in old age.
People living in big cities see numerous strangers every single day. A person must
feel safe when they walk on the street among strangers having confidence that these strangers do
not pose or impose a threat to their lives. Jane Jacobs emphasizes that feeling safe should be a
basic feature of a well planned city. Maintaining the safety of a city is an intrinsic and crucial
task of a city's streets and sidewalks. When speaking about maintaining safety in a city space
most people believe that it is the job of the police to protect and secure the surroundings but not
all areas have police control. In my city which is Dasmarinas City in Cavite, we have certain
police mobile outposts along the highway of Emilio Aguinaldo and through some areas of the
barangays. They sometimes respond immediately and sometimes unhurriedly.
Adding more police presence will not make streets safer, because it does not
address the root problem nor tap into the real power of making them safer. Adding police
officers adds a labored sense of safety. The real way a street is made safer is from an unintended
effort of its own residents and other occupants. The streets that are the safest are the ones where
the occupants police the street on their own, not necessarily with conscious effort, but while
going about their daily business. While they are walking the sidewalks, people tend to keep an
eye on things. Protecting children and creating a safer environment for the children to play.
Streets where people do not use their sidewalks, such as in neighborhoods where people do not
TREYES, MA. LAILANIE B. 2
Technological Institute of the Philippines
P. Casal St. Quiapo, Manila
College of Engineering and Architecture
Architecture Department
socialize with their neighbors, are those where crime is invited. The criminals know the streets
where no one keeps a watch on the neighborhood, and those are the ones they target.
The excerpt also emphasizes that a public surveillance system is in fact more
effective for keeping streets and sidewalks safe. For my insights, “Does having streets suffused
with public surveillance make people safe?”, “Does having streets filled with lights such as lamp
posts make people safe?” The public surveillance system is just as effective for keeping the
streets monitored and for being one of the witnesses to a crime. Even if there is surveillance in a
street, it can’t stop the crime; it is just going to be the witness for the crime and just minimize the
happenings but it still makes a street not safe for others.
For my discernment, I really admire how Jane Jacobs propounds what we see in
creating a place where people want to and need to walk the streets to conduct business and
creates a place where people are safe. More public places to visit causes more people to use the
street, which creates more public places to visit, which bring more people. The end result of this
system of pattern is a safer, more usable, more desirable place for people. The greater and more
plentiful the range of interests of streets can satisfy and increases its aptitude for safety.
TREYES, MA. LAILANIE B. 3
