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What is the place for public spaces in our cities?

The 4, 5 and 6 of may 2011, in Barcelona (Spain)

Public spaces are open spaces shared by the community as a whole. Public spaces are open to all without discrimination. It is shared spaces, sites for meeting, and places where people can come and go freely.

Public spaces are often viewed as empty or residual spaces – areas left over between building, open to all forms of urban use. In fact, public spaces are breathing zones built into the heart of the city. They are a constitutive part of the urban environment, a key structural element. They contribute to urban continuity since they act as a link between buildings and neighbourhoods.

Public spaces are also a fundamental factor of social cohesion insofar as they serve the community. They are places where people meet, spaces for human interaction and social mediation.

Finally, public spaces are a constitutive element of the image cities project. Public spaces are often organized to showcase cities’ historical legacy, cultural landscape or natural surroundings. They are also a locus of representation in that they are stages for urban dynamics, including interactions between individuals and interactions between individuals and the spaces they occupy and claim.

Currently, what is the “recipe” for effective public spaces? How do public spaces evolve? What new uses do they serve? What are city-dwellers’ expectations with respect to public spaces and how can public authorities address them? What governance structures must we implement? Why do cities invest so much in public spaces (addressing issues such as image and power of attraction, quality of life, security)? What innovations and good practices can inspire us?
 

The speeches are available here.

related themes :

City planning

Innovation

Public policy

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