The potential sociability of building front set back areas in commercial corridor: Searching for typologies and variables

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine the potential sociability of building front setback areas that were often overlooked as urban spaces, by searching for typologies and variables of building front setback areas that bring opportunity to promote social interactions. Based on the case studies at the commercial corridors of Lippo Karawaci and Jl. M.H. Thamrin Central Jakarta, this study discovered that direct/transparent and pedestrian setback was the typologies that were successful in promoting active social interactions, due to the following variables, such as direct building lines, face-to-face visibility, street attributes, sidewalk width, shade and shelter from trees, mixed-use, and canopies. The car setback typology was found as a dominant typology and was less likely to support the creation of sociable spaces. However, this typology was able to stimulate sociability in some areas due to the presence of numerous variables, such as wide pedestrian width, the accessibility of transits and public transportations, the presence of public facilities, recurrent of weekly events, the convenience of street furniture, ephemeral objects, openings, and landmarks. This study may provide implications that the understanding of typology and its variables should be more reflective into the future design of active building front setback areas in commercial corridors.