Public space in an age of austerity

Matthew Carmona,Bettina Lamm,Gro Sandkjær Hanssen,Anne Tietjen,Inger-Lise Saglie,Katarina Nylund

doi:10.1057/s41289-019-00082-w

Abstract

Through an overview of the decade 2008 to 2017, and looking comparatively across four northern European cities, this paper reflects on the changing nature of public space during these austerity years and on the processes of shaping public spaces. The paper draws from the experiences of London, Copenhagen, Malmo and Oslo to explore processes of the design, development, use and management of public spaces during this period. The evidence suggests that we have witnessed a period of significant innovation, side by side with major challenges to the collective approach to public spaces. This has led to distinct forms of public spaces that for good or ill have multiplied as a result of the trends discussed in the paper, spaces of; expectation; the private/public sphere; spectacle; respite; infrastructure; diversion; income generation; security; the ephemeral city; community control; occupation; disadvantage; and decline. Episodes of changing practice are set out in the paper and cumulatively reveal distinct and significant changes during the austerity era, although not necessarily in the manner that might have been expected. Instead, in these four cities, the impact of austerity seems to have been eclipsed by other evolving and competing public policy goals, and by the evolving range of public space types.

Highlights

Since the financial crisis of 2008 governments, municipalities, developers and communities have had to rapidly adapt to a new more uncertain reality
Some argue that the period has marked a new and distinctive era with its own political-economy, governance and societal norms (Bramall 2013, pp. 84–110)
Decisions taken in the past restrain current choices, and discussion of the Malmö case in this paper largely focuses on the city’s most recent public space project, Malmö Live, completed in 2015

Summary

Introduction

Since the financial crisis of 2008 governments, municipalities, developers and communities have had to rapidly adapt to a new more uncertain reality. Decisions taken in the past restrain current choices, and discussion of the Malmö case in this paper largely focuses on the city’s most recent public space project, Malmö Live, completed in 2015 This centrally located concert hall, congress centre and hotel followed a protracted planning process and raised questions ( apparent in the other cities), concerning who is public space for. All four of the case study cities have witnessed a journey from an agnostic (managerial) perspective to a role as advocate with regard to the merits of public space investment, sometimes for classic entrepreneurial reasons (Biddulph 2011), but increasingly for social ones Whilst this belief seems to have persisted during the austerity years, the discussion of the changing political and policy context of the four cities indicates that it has been evolving as part of the larger neo-liberal project that Peck and Tickell 4 interview, Economy Director, City of Malmö. 5 interview, Manager of Budgetary Control, City of Malmö

Design

Findings

Conclusion