Introduction

Abstract

This chapter places the contents of the handbook in the context of previous research about the use, design and management of urban public space. The chapter begins with the editors’ preferred definition of public space and distinguishes between publicly owned and privately owned public spaces. The second section reviews different uses and users of public space. Following that is a section about the design of public space and demonstrates how design features encourage certain kinds of behavior. The final section considers public space from a management perspective, namely how management practices differ between spaces that are (1) publicly owned and publicly managed, (2) publicly owned and privately managed and (3) privately owned and privately managed. Information about the third type is drawn from Te-Sheng’s own research.