Jan Gehl, in Cities for People, uses the term talkscape in this way, attributing the term to Ralph Erskine:
talkscapes
City furniture can make a valuable contribution to meetings in urban space. Long even benches where people sit shoulder to shoulder are appropriate for maintaining the form of keeping an “arm’s-length distance” to other people.
While city benches are good for preserving private space and distance, they are not very good for communication. It is possible to turn your head and get a conversation going, but if a group is seated, a family with children or several friends who would like to chat, a row of city benches is not particularly inviting. A far better solution is the grouping of benches into a “talkscape.”
Architect Ralph Erskine (1914–2005) worked systematically with talkscapes in all his projects by setting two benches at an angle with a small table facing them so people could talk as well as use the table. The benches were set up at a slightly open angel so that people could choose to be together or alone, which allows for the option of conversation.
It is possible to find great talkscapes in city space where moveable chairs for years have been one of the biggest attractions. From Parisian parks, the idea has spread to many urban spaces, old and new.
Not surprisingly, flat plinths without backrests or any other type of mitigating circumstances are at the bottom of the list of conversational options.
It can be frustrating indeed for a family to try to achieve any type of togetherness on this type of seating crate, which to make matters even worse are almost always situated in the middle of the space far from any screening façades.
The architect must have thought the crates suited the architecture, but they most certainly do not promote any type of urban meeting.
Kasey Klimes, from X:
In urban design we have the concept of “talkscapes”. These are effective seating arrangements for conversation. Everyone on one giant couch facing the same direction is a bad talkscape. Try to arrange furniture so people are close enough to talk and can see each other.