Bollards are all around us – whether we see them on pavement edges or scattered throughout parking lots, they are quite hard to miss. For decades, bollards have been used as hazard markers to control traffic on the roads and protect passing pedestrians. But these ubiquitous structures do more than just ensure road safety – they also help to establish a sense of community. Not only do bollards act as center points for social interaction in bustling cities, but they can also be used as canvases for artistic expression. If you want to know more about how bollards can help create a sense of community as well as their multiple functional uses, this article has you covered.
What Are Bollards?
Before discussing the many uses of bollards and how they contribute to the spaces they’re placed in, it is important to first have a general understanding of how we at StreetScape define the bollard. Bollards are short posts that are used as visual guides, while also cordoning of areas where general traffic is prohibited. In this way they are able to effectively prevent traffic collisions and also provide added security to structures or pedestrians that are in close proximity to moving vehicles.
Whilst bollards are typically pictured as being short and vertical in appearance, they can be shaped in several ways to meet the demands of the area they are installed in. For example, you may notice temporary, removable bollards separating road traffic from worksites when nearing a construction site. Alternatively, some bollards may have illuminated markers on them to help control nighttime traffic. They offer both resistance impact points as well as decorative elements to enhance landscaping. Given that these structures are multi-functional, they can be constructed from an assortment of materials, but are typically made of cement, stone, plastic, or metal.
How Bollards Enhance Social Spaces
Bollards have come to offer a range of other uses other than just traffic control. Because of the versatile form of bollards, they can be used as beacons for various forms of social interaction. Whether they offer comfortable places to sit in public or used as tourist attractions, the customisation of bollards allows them to contribute to society in many ways. Here are some of the ways bollards can help to enhance social spaces:
They can be used as seating: Depending on their size or shape, some bollards may be used as spots to sit on or lean against, especially if they are placed in areas with limited communal seating options. In this way, bollards can attract weary people in bustling public spaces where one may need to rest between regular commutes. Additionally, bollards can often be found surrounding the perimeter of restaurants or cafes on street corners and can offer leaning or sitting areas when the seating inside may spill onto pavements.
Children may be drawn to them as makeshift playgrounds: Some bollards are physically interactive in their shape or form. Chains linking bollards together are also popular in busy public areas and can attract children who are looking for areas to play in. Children can usually be seen walking on or hanging from chains or attempting to climb and walk on top of bollards.
They can be used as canvases for artistic expression: Bollards don’t have one uniform look – that’s what makes them perfect canvases for creative artworks or statement pieces. Throughout the world, many have used bollards as a medium for art, often bringing a unique design flair to public spaces. Colourful or statuesque bollards often draw people towards them and can even become hotspots for tourists to take pictures with. In Stockholm, for example, many small, spherical bollards are littered throughout the city and are often populated with families or groups of friends taking photos standing on or around them.
In some spaces, they are used as regional markers: Due to their customisation, some bollards can signify specific cities and regional areas. In the UK, for example, red, white, and black bollards with a pattern of stars adorning the rim are famously, and exclusively, used in London. To the average UK citizen, this design is recognizable and indicates where they are in the city. Additionally, these structures can also use imagery associated with the region they’re found in. Grizzly bears are one of the official state animals in California and can be seen on customized bollards throughout the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
Why Is Urban Landscaping Important?
Urban landscaping plays a significant role in our society and urban environments. When speaking about urban landscaping, it encompasses more than just greenery and well-kept parks. It also includes pavements, streets, and parking lots. Urban landscaping is essential to informing the appearance, culture, and functionality of cities. Whether it be used in busy cities or quaint neighbourhoods, urban landscaping helps to elevate spaces both aesthetically and environmentally and has numerous benefits. Here are some benefits to utilising urban landscaping:
Promotes Social Integration: In this day and age with the rise of personal technology people are less likely to head outside, as they stay connected through digital means. This has resulted in a decline in physical social interaction and has put a strain on community building. However, urban landscaping can be an effective tool in promoting outdoor activities. By installing public areas with creative projects, like art stands, outdoor gym equipment or well-marked running and walking routes, city planners can encourage people to head outdoors to make use of these facilities. In this way people are more likely to interact which promotes social integration. One only needs to think of the role Central Park in New York City, USA plays. It encourages many New Yorkers or even tourists to view and interact with the many facilities on offer in the famous park.
Offers Environmental Advantages: Urban landscaping can help the environment in several ways. It can help the water, the air and the soil in communities. Choosing to add a plot of plants in your area can help to release oxygen and provide shade from the sun. Additionally, having trees around you is a great way to promote sustainability. Not only do trees decrease the need for fossil fuel consumption by supplying shade, but they also help deter the harmful particulates found in air pollution. These airborne particles can include smoke, pollen, dust and soot and can lead to serious health complications. As the necessity for looking after the environment grows, so do landscapers’ prioritisation of the health of the environment.
Promotes Physical & Mental Health: Having well-kept public spaces is important for people’s physical wellbeing as well as their mental health. When a park is well looked after, it encourages more people to leave their homes and be outside. Whether you’re choosing to take a walk in your local park or read a book on a public bench, having access to these spaces can play a significant role in promoting mental wellness. Over the last few decades, urban landscaping has also begun to implement outdoor gym areas in more outdoor spaces. This encourages people to engage in physical activity and makes maintaining a healthy lifestyle more accessible to people who don’t have access to more traditional workout facilities like gyms. Optimal, urban green spaces are healthy for both the mind and the body.
Helps Fight Climate Change: Climate change heavily impacts human health. Whether it be through heat waves or disrupting food systems, or floods, climate change can be fatal in extreme cases. By limiting temperature rises and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, green focused urban landscaping can help to alleviate some of the harmful effects of climate change. When it comes to climate change, even small changes can have monumental positive effects on the earth. Rises in temperature from as little as 2 degrees Celsius can lead to coastal cities being wiped out, limited food supply sourced agriculturally and the destruction of tropical reefs for good. With the right strategies, urban landscaping can be hugely beneficial in promoting nature conservation.
Ensures Food Security: Many of the benefits of urban landscaping pertain to helping the environment, which also extends to food security. When food is grown nearer to communities through small-scale urban farming, this significantly decreases farming’s carbon footprint. Importing and exporting food nationally or internationally can have negative effects on the environment through the harmful carbon emissions of travel. Additionally, food sourced locally is healthier as it doesn’t have preservatives or pesticides and is grown organic. In these ways, urban landscaping ensures food self-efficiency and sustainability.
Protects Buildings & Homes: While having greenery and trees around us is important, they also need to be maintained. Without proper care, the foundation and plumbing of homes can be damaged through the roots of plants and trees and, in some cases, overgrown branches. With the correct implementation of urban landscaping, this issue can be avoided through the assistance of landscapers tending to the upkeep of buildings and homes. For us to implement nature into our landscaping and reap its many rewards, balance through maintenance is needed.
Prevents Erosion: Nature is a powerful and destructive force and can lead to serious issues when not looked after, such as erosion. Erosion can do severe damage to the environment as it blocks waterways and ruins land that is fertile. This can lead to the killing of fish and other species as well as resulting in additional flooding. When urban landscaping is used, the addition of grass and shrubs in urban areas keeps the soil together with its roots. Urban landscaping can also assist with water management, which preserves waterways and can even be used to revive wetlands. Many urban landscaping projects prioritize water management and erosion problems into their construction, helping to prevent the damage of the earth’s natural forces.
About Us
At StreetScape, we are a South African company that creates landscaping elements that elevate urban spaces. We strive to make urban spaces more attractive, welcoming, and functional. All our landscaping products and elements are produced in Cape Town and are available for delivery services across the entire country. Our landscaping services guarantee not only quality, but also durability from top-of-the-line materials used for elements. We offer a wide variety of landscaping elements that both accentuate your business or home and provide natural vegetation to your spaces. No matter the specification, at StreetScape we can fulfill all urban landscaping requirements. If you’re looking for a range of bollards made from different materials or any other landscaping elements, we have all that you need.