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of the grid.Most importantly,the grid provided a platform that could grow over time as the community <br /> matured. <br /> The social space of the public realm was created by a design that emphasized the value of that <br /> space The layout and spacing of the buildings created what has been called a"sense-of-place".This is a <br /> design technique that also goes back to ancient times. <br /> Sense-of-place is easy to understand and identify.A room has a sense-of-place.When you are in a <br /> room it is clear that you are in a place.The feature that gives the room this feeling is the walls.Without <br /> walls the room would not exist and there would be no"place". <br /> So it is with the public realm When the buildings on either side of the public space line up and form <br /> walls the public space feels like a room and there is a sense-of-place.The primary design element is to <br /> make sure that buildings are properly spaced If the public space is too narrow because the buildings are <br /> too close the space will feel cramped and the sense-of-place will be lost.If the public space is too vast <br /> because the buildings that bound it are too far apart the effect of the walls will be gone and there will <br /> be no sense-of-place. <br /> There is a standard design ratio to obtaining sense-of-place.That ratio of the width of the public <br /> realm to the height of the buildings must fall between 3:1 and 6:1.This is how that looks in a <br /> predominantly residential neighborhood. <br /> Public Realm <br /> Residential Section <br /> The ratio of Width should not be less than nor greater than <br /> height <br /> to maintain a strong sense of place within the public realm. <br /> ' tfi <br /> This is how the ratio is applied in a predominantly commercial neighborhood. <br /> Pequot Lakes Downtown Plan—Updated June 2011 4 <br />