There’s a phrase we hear a lot in construction and placemaking: user experience.

But too often, spaces are still designed around process, compliance or specification requirements first – and the people who will actually use them second.

The best public spaces don’t just look impressive on a plan or perform technically. They invite people in. They make movement intuitive. They encourage interaction, dwell time and connection. Most importantly, they just feel good to be in.

As someone who has worked both as an architect and now within design and engineering, I’ve seen firsthand the difference between spaces that simply function and spaces people genuinely want to use.

And increasingly, that difference comes down to how early we think about people – not products.

Good design starts with human behaviour

Too often, product conversations happen in isolation.

A paving product is selected here. Seating gets added later. Drainage becomes a technical exercise. Security becomes another overlay. Sustainability information is reviewed separately again.

But users never experience spaces in parts.  They experience them as a whole.

They experience how easy a route feels to navigate. Whether materials feel welcoming or harsh. Whether spaces encourage pause, interaction and comfort. Whether the environment feels intuitive, safe and enjoyable.

That means specifiers and manufacturers need to think beyond individual products and start thinking more holistically about experience.

The best projects happen when technical performance, aesthetics and usability are considered together from the outset.

Materials shape behaviour more than we think

The way material is used plays a huge role in how people interact with space.

Texture, colour, detailing and layout all influence how people move, gather and behave – usually subconsciously.  Think about your favourite café, or pub garden – it’s your favourite for lots of reasons – the menu, the coffee blend, or what’s ‘on tap’, but also because of the way the space makes you feel.

As architects, we’re trained to think about these details constantly. But somewhere between concept and delivery, those intentions can sometimes become diluted by value engineering, procurement pressures or fragmented decision-making.

That’s where collaboration matters.  Manufacturers shouldn’t just be suppliers at the end of a process. They should be design partners who help protect the integrity of a vision while still making projects practical, buildable and commercially realistic.

When that collaboration happens early enough, you can solve challenges without losing the qualities that made the design work in the first place.

Simplicity is underrated

One of the biggest frustrations for designers today is complexity.
Too much information hidden across websites. Sustainability data that’s difficult to interpret. Product pages that make specification harder instead of easier. Technical documents written for compliance rather than usability.

Architects and landscape designers are under enormous time pressure. They need clarity, speed and confidence.  The manufacturers that stand out today are the ones making life easier.

That means intuitive digital experiences. Clear technical guidance. Accessible sustainability information. Useful CPDs. Better visual communication. Faster access to expertise.

Good design support isn’t just about providing information – it’s about packaging it in a way that helps designers make decisions quickly and confidently.

Sustainability must be visible

Sustainability is no longer a secondary consideration in specification. For many projects, it’s becoming one of the defining factors in decision-making.  But there’s still a gap between sustainability claims and genuinely usable sustainability information.

Specifiers don’t just need broad statements about environmental ambition. They need accessible, credible data that helps them compare options and justify decisions.

And critically, that information needs to appear early enough in the design process to influence outcomes.

The projects delivering the best long-term value today are the ones where sustainability, usability and buildability are considered together – not treated as separate conversations.

Designing spaces that last

Ultimately, the most successful public spaces are the ones people return to.

Not because they’ve won awards or look impressive in photography, but because they work in everyday life. They feel comfortable. Human. Intuitive. Flexible. Safe. Durable.  And that doesn’t happen accidentally.

It happens when designers, engineers, manufacturers and contractors collaborate early, communicate clearly and stay focused on the people using the space – not just the process of delivering it.

Because good placemaking isn’t just about creating spaces that can be used – it’s about designing spaces people genuinely want to use.

Written By

Andrew Irvin

Andrew Irvin is a Project Specification Manager at Marshalls, where he helps connect architects, landscape designers and specifiers with the company’s Design & Engineering team to deliver practical, buildable and sustainable project solutions.

Read Andrew's full profile here.