A pattern language: middles

I'm enjoying a new book about the way we live in communities. How we design our surroundings. My current favorite is - 126: Something roughly in the middle. Basically the idea is that if you have a public space with no middle, it becomes a dead space. People need a focal point to draw them together. Imagine a piazza, a plaza or public square. It could even be an open space in a shopping area. If there's nothing in the middle, like some trees or a fountain, people tend to avoid it altogether. They hug the edges. Think about your favorite large areas to hang out in. Do they have a place to gather around. I bet they do. Food for thought. See you next time.