Urban Planning Criteria for Defining Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS)

Abstract

This research is based on the systematic literature review related to the definition of Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS). POPS arise as a bonus of the urban planning concession resulting from negotiations between private investors and city administration. The question arises whether, during their formation, the urbanistic criteria that ensure public space quality are sufficiently represented, or the superior private interest results in critical urban quality aspects. By comparatively analyzing the definitions’ key features, nine specific POPS aspects have been identified and classified into two categories according to basic criteria: impact on investors and on broader urban contexts. The results show that a group of spatial criteria (usage impact, user’s perception, connectivity, urbanity and socialization) have been neglected or ignored in defining POPS. Current definitions do not consider the importance of POPS influence in a wider urban context and POPS is not, in any way, controlled or connected to the comprehensive process of urban planning, which can lead to a neglect of the fundamental roles and quality of public space. Further studies should focus on analyzing the impact of POPS in a broader urban context as well as defining mandatory urban planning criteria for insuring the quality of public space.