The Brazilian Ground Floor as an ‘Infi nite Span’

The square is known as a landmark for a city. The square also functions as a place for people to socialize and do activities both individually and in groups. Semarang City Square underwent a change in land use in 1969 to become a trading area and losing its function as a public open space. In 2015 after the burning of Johar Market, the Semarang City Government is carrying out a revitalization project to restore Semarang City Square to its original state. Revitalization is an effort to increase the value of land through rebuilding in an area that can improve the function of the previous area. The purpose of this research is to examine the public perception of the revitalization of Semarang City Square as a public open space. The method used in this research is a qualitative method with the analysis technique of presenting data in the form of descriptive. In exploring people's perceptions, it uses aspects of community comfort when doing activities in public spaces, namely comfort, activity, accessibility, and sociability. Based on the findings, Semarang City Square before it became a trading area and after revitalization had fundamental differences in the provision of physical facilities to support the comfort of the community when doing activities in the square. The revitalization of Semarang City Square has a positive impact on society. Apart from being able to restore the cultural heritage that has been lost, the government has also succeeded in restoring the function of the Semarang City Square as a public open space.

<p>Engku Puteri Square is an open field which is usually called “Alun-Alun”, located next to the mayor's office of Batam which was originally planned as a public open space and venue for the ceremony ground of the Batam City civil servants. The concept of structuring the city square in several cities in Indonesia has been started since a long time ago, the city square has a potential role to be one of the city identities. This is important because we are now experiencing an identity crisis, especially in the field of architecture or urban planning.Engku Puteri square became a different public space when in 2003 the Municipality of Batam decided to construct the fence around the square area, especially when the Alun-Alun was decided to be the location for the implementation of the National MTQ when the Riau Islands Province hosted the event in 2014. A few months before National Level MTQ being held, there were a large renovation done, such as the addition of towers and gates permanently. The pulpit and Astaka used as the main arena of MTQ activities are also built magnificently. The Engku Puteri, which used to have an open concept now becomes more intimate and different from the initial concept, all might be due to the lack of awareness of the public and policy makers about the concept of public open space. The purpose of this paper is to find a concept of the city square that will be compared with the existing conditions as a consideration to restore the actual function of the Engku Puteri City Square.</p>

The first lockdown in spring 2020 impacted greatly on Austrians’ daily lives and the general well-being, especially on urban dwellers. The country’s government forbade people to use public spaces, such as city squares or parks. Media were quick to pick up on the subject, which sparked debate on the importance and function of public green recreational spaces in national newspapers. This article maps and reflects on print news coverage of the role and relevance of urban open and green spaces during the first lockdown period in Austria in early spring 2020. The qualitative analysis of reports published in Austria’s leading newspapers showed that two topics were repeatedly covered: (i) the impact of being forced to live in a confined space on the well-being of urban dwellers after parks and public areas were closed; and (ii) functions of open spaces and the relevance of streetscapes in dense urban areas where parks are scarce. The results reveal the importance of public and green spaces for people’s physical and mental health, especially in challenging situations, such as lockdowns. Therefore, urban green spaces ought to be considered as one sector of the country’s critical infrastructure. Considering the way public spaces were dealt with during lockdown, the necessity for an in-depth discussion on and rethink of present urban planning, housing, retrofitting, and mobility practice becomes evident.

As a result of the global cultural, economic and social events of recent years, the definition and utilization of public spaces have again become a matter of debate. Public spaces are basically places where people living in the city come together and meet. Additionally, they also have always been playing an important role in reorganization and development process of societies and cities. For centuries, city squares have been the most important public spaces of the cities. As well as being urban spaces, city squares are significant architectural elements in terms of representation of their surrounding structures. To the present day, city squares have been transformed by the ruling authorities and their different ideologies. In this study, two major squares in Berlin, Pariser Platz and Potsdamer Platz; and one square in Istanbul were selected for the case study. Located in the centre of Berlin, between Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden, Pariser Platz was the largest square of the city before World War II. But after the war, following the construction of the Wall, the square turned into an idle space. The Potsdamer Platz is also located in the centre of the city and in only 1 km south of the Pariser Platz. But these two squares different from each other strongly in terms of their structures and features. For instance, Pariser Platz is a dominant and closed square, whereas Potsdamer Platz is a point streets are directed towards. Since the days the city was being developed, these two squares preserved their identities with their different typologies over the course of history presenting World War II, the era of National Socialism and the erection of the Wall, to the present day. In regard to significance, the last square to be examined, located in Istanbul Taksim, can be considered as important as the city of Istanbul itself. With its long history dating back to the end of 1800s, it is a major square in Istanbul. Focusing on the utilization of Pariser Platz, Potsdamer Platz and Taksim Square, this study aims to examine how spatial quality and its criteria in open public spaces are defined, under the light of new trends in architecture using the methods of comparative analysis, literature research, observation and questionnaires.

도시광장은 지역사회 모임이나 시장, 공연, 정치집회 및 기타 이벤트 등 다양한 활동이 행해지는 곳으로, 도시 내에서 다양한 유형으로 나타난다. 그럼에도 불구하고 대부분의 도시광장은 광장 유형별로 다르게 나타나는 방문객의 이용행태 및 이용만족에 대한 고려가 미비한 채 획일적으로 계획되어왔다. 본 연구에서는 서울에 위치한 일반광장 중 중심대광장을 대표하는 광화문광장과 근린광장을 대표하는 금빛공원광장을 중심으로 방문객 만족도에 영향을 미치는 설계요인과 세부 요소를 분석하여 도시광장 유형별 설계 시 중점적으로 고려해야 하는 방안을 제안하였다. 각 광장에서 수집한 설문조사 결과는 요인분석, 회귀분석, 퍼지이론 등을 이용하여 분석하였다. 연구결과를 요약하면, 첫째, 도시광장 설계요소 만족요인은 어메니티, 이용성, 공간특성, 문화성, 쾌적성요인으로 구분되었다. 둘째, 광화문광장의 공간이용 만족도에 영향을 미치는 요인은 어메니티요인, 쾌적성요인, 공간특성요인 순으로 나타났으며, 금빛공원광장의 공간이용 만족도에 영향을 미치는 요인 쾌적성요인, 어메니티요인, 이용성요인, 공간특성요인 순으로 나타났다. 셋째, 도시광장의 설계요소에 대한 만족요인별 만족순위를 퍼지이론을 통해 비교한 결과, 광화문광장은 어메니티요인 중 광장의 청결도에 대한 만족도가 가장 높게 나타났다. 금빛공원광장은 쾌적성요인 중 광장의 수목에 대한 만족도가 가장 높게 나타났다. 이와 같이 본 연구에서는 중심대광장과 근린광장의 이용객 만족도에 영향을 미치는 설계요소를 비교하였다. 연구의 결과는 이용객 만족을 고려한 도시광장 설계 및 계획에 기초자료로 사용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. The city square is an important public open space for people. Being used for various activities, such as community gatherings, open markets, concerts, political rallies, and other events, many types of city squares are represented in a city. Nevertheless, most city squares are planned uniformly, lacking consideration for visitor behavior and use satisfaction. The study investigated the design factors and subcomponents influencing user satisfaction with different types of city squares. This study focused on the general city square in Seoul, including the grand public place (i.e. Gwanghwamun Square) and the neighborhood park (i.e. Geumbit Square). The data were analyzed using factor analysis, linear regression and fuzzy theory. The results of the study are as follows: first, five design factors of satisfaction with city squares are identified (Amenity, Usability, Spatial components, Culture, and Comfortableness). Second, Amenity, Comfortableness, and spatial components significantly affect user satisfaction with Gwanghwamun in that order. On the other hand, in Geumbit Square, Comfortableness, Amenity, Usability and Spatial components affect user satisfaction in a significant way, in that order. Third, cleanliness, a subcomponent of amenity, was ranked highest using the fuzzy theory function for satisfaction with Gwanghwamun Square. Otherwise, the prevalence of plants was ranked the highest on the Geumbit Square survey. The study compared design factors influencing satisfaction in the public grand place and the neighborhood park. The results have implications for designing and planning city squares to the satisfaction of their visitors.

Bekasi City Square is one of the public green open spaces chosen by the people of Bekasi City. However, Bekasi City Square still has problems in the provision and quality of facilities to support users' activities, such as the unavailability of trading areas, lack of lighting and security facilities, damage to children's play areas and toilets, and lack of parking facilities. Therefore, this research was conducted to formulate the physical structuring concept of Bekasi City Square. The structuring concept is produced through behavior mapping analysis, comparative analysis, good public space index analysis, and kano analysis. Behavior mapping analysis is used to determine the distribution of activities and activity actors used as input in analyzing a good public space index. Comparative analysis and good public space index analysis are used to measure physical quality and space utilization in Bekasi City Square. Kano analysis is used to determine the priority of the structuring concept carried out for each attribute. The results of this study formulated the concept of structuring the Bekasi City Square on each attribute in the form of provision of facilities, improved quality of facilities, and a diversity of facilities.

The designing and implementation of public spaces have a crucial role in the development of cities. A city’s success is generally based on the quality of its public spaces and it is a fact that public space is an elementary aspect of urban life. Moreover, one mandatory standard for big cities to function well is there to be a welcoming public space, where a number of urban activities can take place. According to the general notion, parks, streets, city squares, sidewalks, etc. can be included in public spaces. In addition to these, some indoor spaces such as below ground stories, plaza entrances and places like waterfronts or elevated structures with new functions have been considered as public space nowadays. In order to create, design and finance public spaces, sometimes private organizations and public governmental bodies cooperate. However, a game changer in the public and private realm was the 1961 zoning program of New York City Department of City Planning. This program gave permission to private developers build more floor space than they were allowed in exchange for supplying public spaces. As a result of this act, privately owned public spaces (POPS) were created blurring the definition of public space. Today there are more than five hundred POPS in NYC including indoor and outdoor spaces. This study will try to provide an analysis and general view of POPS as public spaces questioning the issues about their use, control and ownership. The criteria of successful urban design for public spaces and the role of governmental authorities in regulating and planning the public spaces will be discussed along with the boundaries and scope of public activities that can take place in public spaces. Finally, the question of whether the ownership of public space by private harms the concept of public space and the rights of citizens will be approached via different perspectives. After looking at the conceptual definitions of public space in literature and analyzing specific examples of POPS, this paper will attempt to come up with a functioning definition of public space in the private realm.

The designing and implementation of public spaces have a crucial role in the development of cities. A city’s success is generally based on the quality of its public spaces and it is a fact that public space is an elementary aspect of urban life. Moreover, one mandatory standard for big cities to function well is there to be a welcoming public space, where a number of urban activities can take place. According to the general notion, parks, streets, city squares, sidewalks, etc. can be included in public spaces. In addition to these, some indoor spaces such as below ground stories, plaza entrances and places like waterfronts or elevated structures with new functions have been considered as public space nowadays. In order to create, design and finance public spaces, sometimes private organizations and public governmental bodies cooperate. However, a game changer in the public and private realm was the 1961 zoning program of New York City Department of City Planning. This program gave permission to private developers build more floor space than they were allowed in exchange for supplying public spaces. As a result of this act, privately owned public spaces (POPS) were created blurring the definition of public space. Today there are more than five hundred POPS in NYC including indoor and outdoor spaces. This study will try to provide an analysis and general view of POPS as public spaces questioning the issues about their use, control and ownership. The criteria of successful urban design for public spaces and the role of governmental authorities in regulating and planning the public spaces will be discussed along with the boundaries and scope of public activities that can take place in public spaces. Finally, the question of whether the ownership of public space by private harms the concept of public space and the rights of citizens will be approached via different perspectives. After looking at the conceptual definitions of public space in literature and analyzing specific examples of POPS, this paper will attempt to come up with a functioning definition of public space in the private realm.

The designing and implementation of public spaces have a crucial role in the development of cities. A city’s success is generally based on the quality of its public spaces and it is a fact that public space is an elementary aspect of urban life. Moreover, one mandatory standard for big cities to function well is there to be a welcoming public space, where a number of urban activities can take place. According to the general notion, parks, streets, city squares, sidewalks, etc. can be included in public spaces. In addition to these, some indoor spaces such as below ground stories, plaza entrances and places like waterfronts or elevated structures with new functions have been considered as public space nowadays. In order to create, design and finance public spaces, sometimes private organizations and public governmental bodies cooperate. However, a game changer in the public and private realm was the 1961 zoning program of New York City Department of City Planning. This program gave permission to private developers build more floor space than they were allowed in exchange for supplying public spaces. As a result of this act, privately owned public spaces (POPS) were created blurring the definition of public space. Today there are more than five hundred POPS in NYC including indoor and outdoor spaces. This study will try to provide an analysis and general view of POPS as public spaces questioning the issues about their use, control and ownership. The criteria of successful urban design for public spaces and the role of governmental authorities in regulating and planning the public spaces will be discussed along with the boundaries and scope of public activities that can take place in public spaces. Finally, the question of whether the ownership of public space by private harms the concept of public space and the rights of citizens will be approached via different perspectives. After looking at the conceptual definitions of public space in literature and analyzing specific examples of POPS, this paper will attempt to come up with a functioning definition of public space in the private realm.

Identical to other cities in Java, Pekalongan city center is characterized by the presence of city square (alun-alun). Pendopo (palace/central government) - alun-alun (city square) – mosque are characteristic features of the Islamic Mataram city. Commonly, the square as the heart of the city is located in the middle, it is surrounded by the Jami mosque at west side of the square, the pendopo/governance office at the south side of the square, plaza at the east side of square, and settlement at the north side of square . Nowadays, the position of the pendopo in Pekalongan still remained as the beginning of its existence, but there is a change of its function especially in the square and the pendopo. The pendopo that was previously the office and official residence of the Pekalongan Regent no longer functions as before since the government of Pekalongan Regency was moved to Kajen in 2003. Furthermore, slowly but surely, the city square was switched its dominant role as an economic function, that is surrounded by stalls, culinary and fashion products sellers started from afternoon to the middle of night. In addition to the reason for the movement of the central government of Pekalongan Regency from this place to Kajen, this also happened because it was built the center of the Pekalongan city government buildings in other area (Mataram street) that is supported with the square. Therefore, a research on the position and function of Jami’ mosque and city square needs to be held, considering that in this case there were time dimensions and historical values that must be preserved in the context of urban development. This study uses a phenomenological approach. The findings of this study are the existence of Jami mosque is timeless, meanwhile the city square is needed to be revitalized so that it has functions in accordance with its era without leaving its function as a safe and comfortable public open space and having continuity with the function of the mosque.

Beyond being physical spaces, public spaces are critical for social interaction and social integration. Local governments have great influence over public spaces due to their authority to regulate, improve and open these spaces for use. Power conflicts between local governments and plan changes accelerate the transformation of these spaces. This article examines the effects of interventions and power dynamics in planning processes on the transformation of public spaces through the example of Atakum City Square. It presents a theoretical framework for public spaces and squares and evaluates how planning decisions and local government actions affect the functionality and social dynamics of public spaces. In the study, qualitative and quantitative methods are combined to collect data through spatial observations, interviews with local government representatives and user surveys. The main findings show that the power dynamics of local governments affect the functional structure of the square and lead to a narrowing of the diversity of activities. Despite physical improvements, social inclusion deficiencies persist. This study contributes to the literature by providing recommendations for the preservation of democratic and inclusive public spaces.

도시광장은 시민들의 일상생활에 밀접한 영향을 줄 수 있는 도시의 대표적인 공공 오픈 스페이스 중의 하나이다. 대부분의 도시광장은 도시의 중심부에 위치하고 있으며, 도시민의 커뮤니티를 형성하고 여가 문화 활동, 오픈 마켓, 정치적 집회 등과 같은 다양한 활동을 할 수 있는 공간으로 이용된다. 최근 우리나라에 공공 오픈 스페이스로 조성된 도시광장은 도시민들의 요구에 의한 중심 대 광장 유형의 광장으로 볼 수 있으며, 여러 가지 특징을 갖고 다양한 기능을 수행할 수 있는 공간으로 조성되었다. 본 연구에서는 서울 시내에 중심 대 광장의 유형으로 보여지는 광화문 광장, 서울 광장, 청계 광장을 연구 대상지로 선정하고, 광장의 구성요소 및 특성에 대한 만족도를 측정하여 분석하고, 공간 이용 만족도를 조사하여 구성요소 및 특성에 대한 만족도와의 관계성을 파악하고자 한다. 각각의 광장에서 수집한 설문조사 결과는 빈도분석, 요인분석, 일원배 치분산분석, 상관관계분석, 회귀분석 등을 이용하여 분석하였다. 연구 결과를 요약하면, 첫째, 도시광장 구성요소 및 특성에 대한 만족도를 요인분석한 결과, 구성요소, 이용성, 쾌적성/안전성, 공간특성 요인으로 구분되었다. 이용성 요인에 대한 만족도가 다른 요인에 비해 높은 것으로 나타나, 연구 대상지가 오픈 스페이스의 역할을 수행하고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 둘째, 광장의 이용 만족도는 전반적으로 높으며, 특히, 다양한 구성요소가 조성되어 있는 광화문 광장의 만족도가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로, 도시광장의 공간 이용에 대한 만족도는 이용성 요인에 대한 만족도에 가장 큰 영향을 받으며, 나머지 요인들과도 통계적으로 유의한 관계있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구의 결과는 도시광장의 계획 및 이용에 관한 만족사항을 반영하여, 도시 오픈 스페이스의 역할을 하는 도시광장의 발전방향을 제시하는 데 일조할 것이라 기대된다. City squares are public open spaces which are closely related to the peoples daily lives. Most squares are located in the center of the city, and they are usually used for community gatherings and they are suitable for open markets, music concerts, political rallies, and other events. City squares also play an important role as a grand public place operating in multi functions that require involvement of more people. The purpose of this study is to examine satisfaction on the spatial components, characteristics, and the user satisfaction in City Squares. The slady also analyzed the relationship between the satisfaction about spatial components, characteristics and it also shows that the user satisfaction is followed. This study sites are made in 3 grand public places in the center of Seoul including the Seoul plaza, Cheonggye Plaza, and Gwanghwarnun Square. Data were analyzed using several statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, factor analysis, ANOVA, correlation and regression. Results of the study are as follows: First, factor analysis carried out to extract the various factors of satisfaction on the sites; spatial components, usability, amenity/security, and spatial characteristics. User satisfaction concerning usability factor was higher than the satisfaction of the other factors. This result represented that the slady sites play an important role to the public open spaces in the city. Second, users showed high user satisfaction to study sites, and user satisfaction rate toward the Gwanghwarnun Square is the highest because of its facility planuing. Finally, user satisfactim was strongly correlated on the usability factor of spatial planning. Also, the significant correlations between the user satisfaction and the other factors such as spatial components, security, and spatial characteristics of spatial planning are presented. Results of this study can help guide the planning and management of the city square as a public open space based on the understanding of user perception and satisfaction.

This research aims to explore the language use and cultural symbols in public spaces in Depok City Square Park, West Java Province. The research raised the issue of language signs and cultural symbols in Depok City Square Park. This research uses a qualitative approach. It uses the observation method through photography techniques. The photo taken serves as image data. Photos are classified into five taxonomies of Spolsky and Cooper (1991) signs, namely road signs, advertising signs, information signs, warning and prohibition signs, and warning signs. Data were analyzed using a Linguistic Landscapes approach. From the data analysis, the conclusion is obtained: Depok City Square Parks is open: Tuesday to Friday at 07.00 am-17.00 pm. Saturday and Sunday at 06.00 am to 18.00 pm, the park equips a children’s playgound, BMX Area, sports fields and park benches. The language signs displayed in the park area are in the form of writing and text accompanied by pictures. Writing words, phrases and sentences complies with Indonesian language rules; The Depok City Government conveyed messages to visitors in the form of warnings and prohibitons. Linguistic Landscapes tends to use monolingual Indonesian. Betawi cultural symbols can be found in the area of this park called Gigi Balang.

Despite its medieval origins (1423), the city of Łódź is young. It flourished as an important industrial center in the nineteenth century, becoming the second largest city in Poland in the twentieth. Its “American” plan with one main street and districts developing around factories is unusual in Poland and leaves little room for city squares and public space. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Łódź has been trying to create more shared areas because they underwent far-reaching degradation after the transformatio of 1989 and the economic crisis of the 1990s. Nowadays, however, these areas are being revitalized. There are many competitions and projects concerning both the rehabilitation of existing city squares and the creation of new ones. However, the term “city square” has largely lost its original, traditional meaning, with “square” now covering a variety of open spaces, ranging from pedestrian streets to courtyards. The article discusses selected examples of municipal and private investments in squares, streets and parks. Despite the positive reception of these urban changes, the “renewal” of the city is criticized by specialists and considered controversial.The article attempts to analyze these solutions in terms of urban planning as well as urban landscape and ecology, also venturing to gauge whether such solutions can be considered modern and adequate to the requirements of twenty-first-century urban planning.

The concept of structuring open spaces and public spaces is now all based on the concept of child-friendly integrated public spaces. The concept has the aim that the provision of public space can be enjoyed by all groups including children. According to article 22 of Permen PPPA Number 12 of 2022, it is necessary to provide services to fulfill children's rights and provide special protection for children. Fulfilling children's needs and rights is also related to the Child Friendly City program, where every city and district in Indonesia has directions to create a child-friendly environment. In this case, Malang City needs to carry out the suitability of child-friendly city parks to support the realization of a child-friendly city. In this study, an analysis will be carried out regarding the application of the concept of child-friendly integrated public space in the design of a children's playground in Malang City Square based on child-friendly criteria. The results of the discussion illustrate that the children's playground in Malang City Square has not met the criteria for child-friendly integrated public spaces. This condition shows that the attention and efforts of the local government to improve and improve the quality of the park are still needed in order to meet child-friendly criteria. Abstrak Konsep penataan ruang terbuka dan ruang publik kini semua berlandaskan atas konsep ruang publik terpadu ramah anak. Konsep tersebut memiliki tujuan agar pengadaan ruang publik ini dapat dinikmati oleh semua kalangan termasuk anak-anak. Menurut pasal 22 Permen PPPA Nomor 12 Tahun 2022, perlu memberikan pelayanan pemenuhan hak anak dan memberikan perlindungan khusus bagi anak. Pemenuhan kebutuhan dan hak anak berkaitan juga dengan program Kota Layak Anak, yang mana setiap kota dan kabupaten di Indonesia memiliki arahan untuk mewujudkan lingkungan yang ramah bagi anak. Dalam hal ini Kota Malang perlu melakukan kesesuaian taman kota yang ramah anak untuk mendukung terwujudnya kota layak anak. Dalam penelitian ini akan dilakukan analisis mengenai penerapan konsep ruang publik terpadu ramah anak pada perancangan taman bermain anak di Alun-alun Kota malang berdasarkan kriteria ramah anak. Hasil pembahasan menggambarkan bahwa taman bermain anak di Alun-alun Kota Malang belum memenuhi kriteria ruang publik terpadu ramah anak. Kondisi tersebut menunjukkan bahwa perhatian dan upaya pemerintah setempat untuk memperbaiki dan meningkatkan kualitas taman masih diperlukan agar dapat memenuhi kriteria ramah anak.