World's Best Places

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The Subway

Other    New York City    USA   
What makes it great?:  
The people. They are so strong and with the most amazing faces, have so much character, and are so ready to talk to you if you feel like it. It is the place that really makes me feel that I'm in New York and therefore at the centre of the world.
What would make it better?:  
Alas, just like any New Yorker, I have a list of grievances against the MTA that snakes around the block. Sometimes the subway system is so dysfunctional that you don't know what's going to get you to your destination last, whether the train or a taxi, or your own feet. But what makes the subway system so unnerving is, it is just one of the many dysfunctions that people who live in NY put up with in order to live in NY. We like to complain and take pride in our pain all together.
Submitted By:  
Paola Antonelli, Design Curator at Museum of Modern Art

The Seine

Water’s edge    Paris    France   
What makes it great?:  
As the central spine of the city it provides an invitation for everyone, from the youths that take over the bridges for picnics in the evening, to tourists and small businesses. It is also very beautiful which helps!
What would make it better?:  
The Paris Plage project that turns the river’s edge into a beach reflects the changing needs of the community who if they don’t leave Paris for the hottest month of August, need something to do. It’s a great initiative and more activities like this will continue to give the public spaces along the river more relevance to the people who want to use them.
Submitted By:  
Kylie Legge, Director at Place Partners

Borough Market

Plaza    London    England   
What makes it great?:  
Borough Market is a food lover's paradise and also a beautifully 'edited' shopping area. I come here to relax on a Saturday morning knowing that I can get good coffee and any kind of food imaginable, direct from the farmer. The food stalls are seemingly endless and there are a lot of sampling opportunities especially if you like cheese. It feels like a guilty secret but in fact it's swarming with people... the majority of whom have a smile on their face, which is RARE in London.
What would make it better?:  
I'm not a fan of eating on the run. When its sunny you can sit in the churchyard next door but it needs an undercover seating area so you can sit down and eat.
Submitted By:  
Justin Davies, Producer at BBC Comedy

Bondi Icebergs

Water’s edge    Sydney    Australia   
What makes it great?:  
The coastal pools are perhaps the one moment where Sydney starts to fully understand itself. Public spaces based upon European classicism, mid-century optimism or New Urbanism have yielded patchy results. However, these pools are a quintessential Sydney space combining water, shelter, intimate spaces and the larger plaza of the pool. The theatre which results from the spatial arrangement invites interaction between the diverse cross-section of visitors, from Russian Jewish grandmothers to Anglo twenty-something's working off the previous night's party. Opportunities exist for privacy, surveillance, exhibitionism and modesty, all of which can be controlled by the individual.
What would make it better?:  
A more generous spatial arrangement at entry; one that implies that entry is actually free (it only costs if you swim).
Submitted By:  
Gerard Reinmuth, Director at Terroir

The Millennium Bridge

Other    London    England   
What makes it great?:  
The Millennium Bridge straddling the River Thames takes you from St Paul's Cathedral to the Tate Modern. It's a pedestrian only bridge; I love pedestrian power, no competition with cars! You can transport yourself so quickly from the centuries old St Paul's across the river to a converted power station that is now a contemporary art gallery, and all in a straight line! It's very contemporary, completed in 2000 (something I find myself seeking out amongst all the period architecture in London town), it's steel, and it's shiny. Suspending yourself over the river in London is one of the few places (apart from the parks) where you are surrounded by spaciousness and nature. I also love the destination: the Tate Modern. I am always crossing this bridge en route to the gallery to see an exhibition, so the journey is also filled with the anticipation of the works I am going to see. A journey of delight!
What would make it better?:  
The weather! Now onto things within the realm of possibility... I'd like to make the Millennium Bridge a little wider. The through traffic is so busy at times making it tricky to stop, to take photos, or to walk slowly without being bumped into. There should be little side platforms, or pods, that you can step out onto to just to soak in the view - or sunshine if you're lucky!
Submitted By:  
Vicky Clare, Digital Content Producer at British Sky Broadcasting

St Albans Square

Plaza    Melbourne    Australia   
What makes it great?:  
It is a great gathering place for the community, with shaded seats for resting and chatting. The Square is located in the middle of the shopping precinct – so quite a few people use it to take a break from shopping. Groups of elderly men also use the space for their daily catch ups. It has been designed so that adjoining cafes and restaurants can open out onto the Square which has just started to occur, increasing the vibrancy of the centre.
What would make it better?:  
The raised grassed area in the middle of the Square needs to be reshaped to improve the functionality of the space, especially for events. The condition of the grass is poor and not appealing to sit on. As a result this part of the Square is under-utilised. A few conveniently located bins would also help with cleanliness. A major piece of public art is planned for the Square, which hopefully will become a focal point for community expression and socialisation.
Submitted By:  
Michelle Wyatt, Brimbank City Council at St Albans Place Manager

Abu Dhabi Corniche Park & Gardens

Park    Corniche    Abu Dhabi   
What makes it great?:  
The corniche alongside the water and the parks across the street have been designed to be inviting, functional, and welcoming. In cooler times, this has become the most relaxing point in the city where rollerbladers can cruise in their own 'fast lane', kids can learn to ride bikes, and people can get out of their cars and mingle with each other for a change. There is plenty of parking, and the range of water fountains give you a choice of many environments to relax, open up your camping chairs, smoke shisha, have a bbq or just relax. The parks are becoming a place where one can really feel a sense of being a part of this very unique city, which counts itself as one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world.
What would make it better?:  
More properly cleaned toilet facilities and more tall shady trees or tenting would make it better. Also vendors such as ice cream vans, coffee shops, and shwarma stands would get more people out and really make Abu Dhabi feel more like a community melting pot, and less like a salad bowl.
Submitted By:  
Amy Subaey , Professional Development at English Language Teachers

The Marine Walk at Dubai Marina

Plaza    Dubai    United Arab Emirates   
What makes it great?:  
It's a natural meeting point that attracts people from all walks of life to commune and socialize there. It has a great water fountain that invites children to play and have fun. It has plenty of restaurants and cafes surrounding it. It is very accessible by car and foot from the marina residences. It feels very safe even though it is an open space and accessible.
What would make it better?:  
If it was larger, in particular the water fountain piazza, and extended further to include more of a walking pathway to other parts of the marina. I also don't think they are making the most of the space. They could program events and community activities, especially since people naturally gravitate there on their weekends.
Submitted By:  
Sarah Mohammadi, Project Manager at

Las Ramblas

Street    Barcelona    Spain   
What makes it great?:  
The dynamism and vibrance of the place. The whole street works as a large public square. The architecture that surrounds the place makes it so beautiful. There is a mixture of activities and things to see. Plenty of colour and artistic interaction. It is a place for the locals and tourists. Good family environment. Good access by public transport, right balance of traffic, pedestrians and cyclists.
What would make it better?:  
The whole lighting and the landscape design could be better.
Submitted By:  
Miguel Paredes, Architect at MaSQ Architecture

Al Jahili Park

Park    Al Ain    Abu Dhabi   
What makes it great?:  
It is well used, probably because it is the largest, best landscaped park close to the Central District of Al Ain. The layout and landscaping provide places to picnic, places for young guys to play informal soccer, interesting paths and changes in level between the water features, promenades and running space, sitting areas and a playground for smaller children. The backdrop provided by Al Jahili Fort is fantastic, and the Rotana Hotel and the palaces across the streets help to create the atmosphere as well.
What would make it better?:  
A few larger shade trees with benches would improve its daytime use. A perimeter running track, perhaps with some exercise stations, would help the fitness types, and would separate them from the more leisurely walkers who prefer to stroll near the fountains. The private land at the rear of the park, and perhaps part of the car park to the southeast could be developed with a row of two storey shops and restaurants facing the park. At the rear of the shops should be a public bath-house for labourers, because they currently use the toilets in the park.
Submitted By:  
Stephen Goldie, City Planning Advisor at Al Ain Municipality