A pure checkerboard pattern is an ideal city plan and the characteristics of this structure can be translated into the reality of our cities through the proportion and relationship of spaces. Governor Oglethorpe mapped out a plan for Savannah, Georgia, which designated a matrix of parks that the city would grow around. A checkerboard pattern is a deceptively simple device. Upon first consideration, it may seem one dimensional and not stimulating. However, its simple structure provides for a variety of potential experiences, depending on the path taken by the individual.
Equal value is given to all the elements, The proportion of open space to building is in balance.
In fact, a checkerboard pattern creates a dynamic situation which promotes interaction between the place and the individual. The individual becomes a participant in the place. The square and the park both function as places of decompression within the otherwise dense urban fabric. It is the density of cities which makes them thriving, vital places. The open spaces provided by squares and parks are places which contrast that density.