Perception Of Public Space Research Articles

Locating Young Women in Public Space

Young women have largely been left out of public space design and planning processes. There is a need for meaningful knowledge production to be centred on, and grounded within, this group. In this viewpoint, we propose and evaluate our feminist spatial researcher-in-residence methodology for engaging young women in design and planning processes. We developed this model for a series of peer research projects on gender and perceptions of public space, with individuals who identify as girls and young women in the UK from April 2022 to October 2023. We first give an overview of our method which focuses on peer research – notably the researcher-in-residence model – and subsequently go on to discuss two central aspects: (un)learning and visual methods. We argue that such approaches contrast traditional methods of doing research with young people (e.g. surveying), by giving us ways of exploring the banality (eg. benches) and complexity (feelings of safety) of young women’s experiences of the public realm; and by allowing research participants to have greater agency in representing their own lifeworlds. It is our view that this methodology makes the case for why it is essential to value the tacit knowledge that young women and girls have in meaningful and attentive ways if we are to create an inclusive public realm.

Towards Socio-Spatial Equity in Public Space

Street vending has historically driven and dominated the informal economy in the Indian city of Hyderabad. The inception of urban migration saw a range of marginalized groups move into the city, creating stark rural-urban differences and causing residents and the city to struggle to adapt. They eventually established themselves along the river to meet daily needs and adopted street vending as a means of occupation toward sustenance. While urban design in the city actively excludes these vendors from urban belonging, they retaliate through subversive practices and tactical urbanism to impose belonging, in a quest to find their right to the city. Neoliberal policies continue to distance these disengaged communities from the city considering them undesirable through dominant concepts of unattractiveness. While the government disapproves of informal vending in the public realm in Hyderabad – especially along the Musi River – branded designer “pop-up stores” and gourmet food stalls are encouraged, advertised and publicised. Inequitable law enforcement has created turmoil in the access and right to public space in the city. This study highlights the need for strategic placemaking to build healthy relationships and equity in the city. Various perceptions of public space among street vendors are analysed to help integrate these disengaged residents in the city. The paper concludes with empirical findings for designers and planners to examine, in delivering a customized design plans articulated to prevent further distress to micro-urbanism patterns existing in the city and its urban fabric.

Public art as an artistic way of development of the architectural and urban environment

The article considers public art as an artistic direction that contributes to the restoration and development of the architectural and urban environment. The analysis of artistic forms of art of the end of the 20th century revealed the trends of multidisciplinarity and going beyond the artistic infrastructure into the public architectural and urban environment. Moreover, public art objects are actively introduced into the environment of super-large cities of Ukraine and only partially into the environment of other cities. The existence and rapid development of these objects is a sign of a modern super-large city with a developed architectural and urban environment and integration into the world cultural process. Public art is a form of contemporary art that interacts interactively with the viewer, raising questions about contemporary art and the space in which it is placed. Modern forms of public art were analyzed and four principles of public art were identified as a result of the systematization of existing information. These are the principles of interactivity, conceptuality, digitalization, creativity. Their harmonious combination helps to develop a friendly space in accordance with the individual needs of a person and to form an emotional interactive architectural and urban environment with a unique atmosphere and social messages. Such modern artistic mediums as installations, happenings and performances permeate the four formulated principles of public art, mainly focusing not on the result, but on the process of creation and the emotional component of the environment. They are mixed genres of visual art that use objects of public art or the artist's body to interact and change people's perception of public space. It should be noted that the development of media technologies has led to the creation of public art objects not only in physical, but also in virtual space, covering, in addition to land art and environment, also digital, conceptual and light art. This allows considering and developing the artificial space and public environment as a multi-level interactive open system with a developed cultural context that interacts with people in space and time.

Mobile Workers' Perception of Public Spaces as Workplace: A Case Study of Starbuck Branch Outlet Tambun

Mobile Workers' Perception of Public Spaces as Workplace: A Case Study of Starbuck Branch Outlet Tambun

ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ КУЛЬТУРНИХ ЛАНДШАФТІВ УКРАЇНСЬКИХ МІСТ У ТИЛУ В УМОВАХ ПОВНОМАСШТАБНОЇ ВІЙНИ

The War between the Russian Federation and Ukraine is one of the most devastating conflicts in history, with an unprecedented scale in Europe since World War II. It has a profound impact on Ukrainian society, resulting in complex changes on multiple levels, including economic, political, cultural, and social aspects. The cultural landscape of Kyiv undergoes transformations of varying intensity and nature throughout the year 2022. These processes can be caused by changes in the functions of sociocultural institutions and architectural structures, alterations in the names of urban toponyms, the placement of military posts, and defensive structures, as well as shifts in the perception of public space and associations related to the city. It has a significant impact on the identity of the city and its residents, as well as on the perception of events and public activism. Creative communities, artistic associations, and cultural and artistic-oriented civic organizations that continue their activities have adapted their work and become part of an active volunteer movement. This article aims to explore the comprehensive effects of the war on the general trends of cultural landscape transformation in Ukrainian cities. It examines various aspects of how the war has influenced Kyiv, such as its impact on the creative sector, changes in media hierarchy, the transformation of urban cultural practices, and changes in the supply and demand of cultural products and services at the local level. The article attempts to investigate and systematize the processes of cultural landscape transformation in Ukrainian cities that have not been directly involved in active combat during the ongoing war of Russia against Ukraine. By adopting a comprehensive approach, this research seeks to encompass various facets of the war's influence on cities and urban communities and facilitate an understanding of their interconnectedness with the broader trends of cultural landscape transformation

Safety in Numbers

As we navigate the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and face ever more complex challenges to our experience of the public sphere, the phrase ‘safety in numbers’ entails increasingly contradictory connotations. What is the role of large public space gatherings in rebuilding confidence in our use of public space and what creative and logistical strategies may be used to this end? This article represents the first in a series of studies, exploring the work of internationally acclaimed public art production company, Artichoke. A “reverse-engineering” focus is applied here, as we revisit three seminal projects across Artichoke’s fifteen-year body of work: respectively, The Sultan’s Elephant (2006), Lumiere (2009-ongoing) and Processions (2018). While there is no “standard” Artichoke work, these projects share important commonalities in relation to the potential of ephemeral public art events to adapt and disrupt our perception of public spaces. Each project achieved considerable impact, with audience numbers reaching hundreds of thousands and even millions through media dissemination: in doing so, Artichoke’s work has not only pioneered new forms of large-scale spectacular and participatory events, but also played a significant role in shaping policies for public art commissioning and realisation. Drawing on archival data, as much as on a range of anecdotal experiences provided by audience testimonials and interviews with Helen Marriage, Artichoke’s Artistic Director and CEO, the article aims to evaluate learnings and strategies that have allowed this company’s approach to be resilient and innovative in relation to public engagement. The projects explored here were mostly realised long before our cities were shaped by the unprecedented restrictions caused by the pandemic; yet, they nonetheless all had to deal with substantial logistical and creative challenges, deriving from complex safety measures and an ever-changing urban and cultural landscape. Looking back is here intended as a means to think ahead, as we consider key traits in Artichoke’s work: in particular, its continued adaptability, its fluid negotiation between artist-led expertise and participation, and its unique aesthetic in temporarily disrupting our relationship with the ‘soft city’.

Learning to Share: Outdoor Commercial Spaces on San Francisco's Valencia Street

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of San Francisco sanctioned the use of public space on sidewalks and parking spaces for commercial use as part of their Shared Spaces initiative. Combined with streamlined permitting processes and an iterative rollout of design guidelines and inspections, the program facilitated a rapid and large-scale shift in the city’s streetscape. Using the Valencia Street commercial corridor in San Francisco’s Mission District as a case study area, we define and observe the “outdoor commercial spaces” (OCS) to present a preliminary typology based on degree of enclosure as a potential signifier of different patterns in use and perception of public space. We interview residents and other stakeholders to explore emerging themes in the perception of OCS, complemented by pedestrian path tracing along different sections of Valencia Street. Our findings indicate that differences in the degree of enclosure in OCS on Valencia Street partially reflect their diversity in use and business type. The limited interview data also suggests that individuals across all stakeholder groups generally believe OCS represent an improvement to public space even when more enclosed OCS imply the privatization of public space. Additionally, pedestrian behavior while the street is closed to vehicular traffic implies that the street closure is an important complement to OCS that maximizes the potential benefits of an activated streetscape while mitigating the negative effects and perceptions of privatization. However, these changes may amplify existing patterns of inclusion and exclusion in public spaces on Valencia Street. Especially as many OCS may become permanent fixtures of San Francisco’s streets, their design and purpose have important implications for street-level accessibility and city-wide equity for small businesses. These dynamics –and the OCS themselves –are likely to continue evolving during the transition to long-term guidelines and implementation.

Research on Outdoor Space Design Strategy of "SOS Children's Village" Based on the Psychology of Troubled Children.

Despite significant interaction between children's psychology and space in welfare institutions, only a handful of empirical studies have focused on it to date. Through the investigation, analysis, and spatial classification of the psychological issues of troubled children in the SOS children's village community in Chengdu, we observed the records for 1 year and used the PHCSS-SD method innovatively to systematically and quantitatively analyze the psychology of troubled children and their perception of public space in the park. Based on the needs of hearing, vision, touch, interaction, and safety of children in distress, we selected nine evaluation factors, including daylighting, interesting pattern, participation, and touchability. Each factor was categorized into five evaluation scales for psychological measurement and analysis to provide a basis for the development of mental health and the optimization of the living environment of children in distress. Based on the SD broken line of public space, we analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of space and affirmed the crucial contributions made by the Chinese government to children's welfare. Overall, this study discusses the strategy of building outdoor public spaces in the SOS children's village community.

User's Perception of Public Space at Malioboro Street After Revitalization using Placemaking Approach

Public open space has functioned as a development image and livability of a city. Malioboro is the most famous street in Yogyakarta with various activities and users. Malioboro street is a corridor that has been revitalized. One of the revitalization purposes is developing a public space that should accommodate all users with their activities. This research will be concentrated on the revitalization of Malioboro as a public space. Placemaking is used as an approach to find out the process of forming public space that has already formed at Malioboro street after the revitalization. So, the research aims to find out that process. The method is quantitative approach, which is a questionnaire to know the user's perception (merchant, tourism, and communities) of the placemaking. Aspects of placemaking are from Project of Public Space (PPS) with four variables: uses and activity, comfort and image, access and linkage, and sociability. Furthermore, the data will be analyzed to find out the placemaking process. The result of this research will be how far the process of the public space that occurred in the revitalized Malioboro street.

L'imponderabile


 
 
 
 Considering the intangible dimension of design is much more relevant than it may seem. Bearing in mind the limited room for manoeuvre the designer has when he receives a commission, since he is usually strongly constrained by the limitations of use and function, the consideration of the immaterial dimension of the project is perhaps the only way he can direct it and think of it as a whole. Thinking of the intangible as a project implies making the invisible visible, knowing how to generate a very subtle narration of the place that captures and attracts our gaze without clamour; a gaze that will not be homogeneous, because the perception of public space is always subject to nuances.
 
 
 

Differentiating busking from begging: A psychological approach.

Despite the research support that street performance is generally a beneficial element to public space, the legitimacy of street performance remains controversial. One critical issue is that busking is often confused with begging. With a psychological perspective, the present research examines the distinction of busking from begging. Two studies approached the problem from the viewpoints of street performers and passersby, respectively. Study 1 (N = 188) surveyed street performers on their reasons for street performance and reasons for why donations to street performance should be acceptable. The respondents could articulate various features of street performance along which busking could be similar to and yet distinguishable from begging. Study 2 (N = 189) experimentally compared busking and begging in how they could affect people’s perception of public space. Relative to public space with begging, public space with busking was perceived as significantly more comforting, more active, less prone to crimes, and overall more likeable. These descriptive (Study 1) and experimental (Study 2) findings help to clarify the difference between busking and begging: Street performance is not merely an act of soliciting donations in public space, but it also possesses artistic and entertaining qualities that can in turn make public space more favorable. The current findings can inform the policy making and regulations of street performance. Moreover, since the present research was conducted in Hong Kong, it contributes a cultural perspective to the literature on street performance.

The perception of public spaces in Mexico city, a governance approach

Public spaces are considered a vital ingredient of prosperous cities as they support their sense of community, identity and culture. Understanding their relevance, the Mexican government has developed new regulatory frameworks. In 2016, the first federal legislation in Mexico was created and combined the concepts of urban development, public space, and social participation. This change affected national and local regulations. Acknowledging that public spaces are anchored to the institutional and governance context, we based our explorative research from a theoretical perspective on the Contextual Interaction Theory (CIT) and its five governance elements. Considering the regulatory and institutional framework for public spaces in Mexico, this research aims to understand how the different actors perceive the current conditions of public spaces in Mexico City. This research adopted a case study approach, and we conducted eight semi-structured interviews with stakeholders that participate in the planning process of public spaces in Mexico City. Through these interviews and revision of secondary sources, we found that all interviewed actors agree that the regulatory framework of public spaces differs with the application in practice, with legal gaps and lack of clarity in responsibilities which brings confusion among practitioners and developers of public space projects. The implementation of the public spaces policy is affected by the lack of continuity of public space projects and the discrepancies between the efforts to promote inclusive and safe public spaces, and a negative perception of society on the current conditions of public spaces.

The role of bike sharing stations in the perception of public spaces: A stated preferences analysis

The pervasiveness of bike sharing schemes around the world has the potential to bring important benefits in terms of public health and reduction of congestion and emissions. However, there can be negative externalities associated to these systems, especially in terms of misuse and degradation of public spaces. This paper explores how the presence of different shared bicycle systems and their stations affect peoplés perceptions of public spaces and neighbourhoods. For this, a stated preferences experiment was created and applied in Santiago de Chile, depicting two main scenarios (downtown and residential) with various configurations of public bicycle stations (dock-based and dockless), along other cycling facilities on a street. Survey results were used to estimate a choice model, measuring the impact of the scenario attributes on the probability of being chosen as a preferred public space. Attitudes about bikesharing, the environment and mobility in general were also measured and used to estimate latent variables and their role in public space perception. Results show bike sharing stations are overall positively perceived in terms of their capacity to improve a neighbourhood’s image, safety and accessibility, although this is more likely in compact urban contexts and for users of bikesharing. Disorganized (dockless) bicycles left on sidewalks are perceived negatively, although not enough to make individuals prefer a situation without public bicycles. The previous findings indicate that bike sharing schemes could have positive effects on the image of neighbourhoods by making them look more attractive and modern.

Public space and urban resilience: children’s perspectives. The case of the hills of Valparaíso, Chile

ABSTRACT Public space has become an essential component of resilient urban development. Despite the growing recognition of this reality, public space and its functionality amid socio-natural disasters are usually not considered in risk planning and management. The child population, certainly among the most vulnerable, is equally invisible amid mitigation measures and post-catastrophe reconstruction. Thus, this article seeks to advance the understanding of children's perceptions of public space, focusing on the role it could play in resilient urban development. To this end, a comparative approach was used, based on three public spaces located in the hills of the city of Valparaíso, a territory characterised by its vulnerability to urban fires and earthquakes. Using creative, art-based methods to engage children in participatory workshops reveals differences between the three case studies related to public space design processes and institutional actions.

Spanish Constitutionalism in Catalonia: An anthropology of civic nationalism

AbstractThis paper explores the nationalist conflict in Catalonia and how it is lived and experienced by actors within it. It focuses on the people mobilised against independence who see themselves primarily as defenders of the Spanish Constitution and not of Spanish nationalism. Critics of civic nationalism in political theory and Nationalism Studies argue that anti‐nationalist rhetoric tends to be the expression of structural or hegemonic nationalism. Drawing on fieldwork carried out in Barcelona, I look at how the conflict has influenced discourse and language used in everyday life, how participants negotiate their identity, why people do (and do not) get involved in organisations that defend their political ideas, how they see themselves within the conflict and their perceptions of public space and its significance in relation to the constitution. An ethnographic approach explores these issues and discovers that although anti‐independence actors base their mobilisation in nationalism, civic nationalism cannot be reduced to just another form of nationalism. I aim to go beyond critics of civic nationalism to explore how my interlocutors act within and against nationalism, reproducing nationalist discourse in some aspect (boundaries of the nation) in order to challenge it in others (content and relevance of nationalism in everyday life).

The Impact of Residential Densification on Perceptions of Public Space

Problem, research strategy, and findings City leaders are under pressure to increase urban residential density to provide affordable housing and meet sustainability objectives. Yet despite the advantages of urban densification, communities throughout North America persistently oppose new developments and housing projects in their neighborhoods. The impact of residential densification on the quality of life for existing residents is ambiguous. In this study we focus on measuring the impact of one key aspect of urban densification: the perceived quality of public space. We use an experimental design to increase pedestrians and stationary users in a pedestrianized green street for randomly selected periods over 3 weeks. We collected surveys with and without our pedestrian treatment and find that adding users to a residential street decreased the perceived quality of the space overall. The changes in perceptions were small yet significant and illustrate the real tradeoffs that planners must consider when increasing urban density in cities, especially in lower density residential communities. Takeaway for practice Increasing the number of public users in a residential neighborhood may slightly decrease the perceived quality of the public space. Women’s perceptions differ from those of men, and women are more sensitive to the addition of public users. We illustrate how planners may use public life experiments to anticipate how the public might respond to future changes in the public realm.

Changing perceptions and usage of public and pseudo-public spaces in the post-pandemic city: the case of Istanbul

Public space has critical importance for the city and society because it forms a sense of community. The debate on the end of public space, which is ongoing as the privatization in the city rises, moves on to a new phase with the Covid-19 outbreak. Since the perception of public spaces will be a determinant factor in the future of the city, the question arises: How the perception and usage of the public, virtual public and pseudo-public spaces (particularly shopping malls) have been affected by the recent Covid-19 pandemic? The aim of this study is to examine the changing perception and usage of public and pseudo-public spaces during the Covid-19 outbreak in Istanbul, Turkey. Within this scope, an online survey was conducted with 337 participants living in Istanbul between the dates of 1–5 June 2020. With this survey, the change in perceptions and usage of these spaces based on personal, residential and district characteristics were investigated. The findings of the study revealed statistically significant differences between the perceptions and usage of public spaces and pseudo-public spaces before and after the Covid-19 outbreak in terms of personal, residential and district characteristics. According to survey results, there would be a significant decrease in the frequency of possible visits to public places. The outbreak reduces interest in virtual spaces as a leisure activity, but it also increases the interest in virtual spaces as a shopping and meeting/chat platform. In addition, it was determined that the demand for shopping centres and virtual platforms as both before-after-the-outbreak leisure activities decreased significantly as the amount of green space per capita increases. Besides, the diminishing reputations of pseudo-public spaces and the increasing importance of virtual public spaces may be observed from the survey results. The longer the outbreak, the greater its impact on the design and planning of public spaces and pseudo-public spaces. Rather than planning huge and crowded spaces such as big squares and huge malls, there is likely a shift toward planning a large number of small-scale public spaces within walking distance.

Seasons of the Year and Perceptions of Public Spaces

Seasons of the Year and Perceptions of Public Spaces

The impact of COVID-19 on public space: an early review of the emerging questions – design, perceptions and inequities

ABSTRACT Restrictions on the use of public space and physical distancing have been key policy measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and protect public health. At the time of writing, one half of the world’s population has been asked to stay home and avoid many public places. What will be the long term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on public space once the restrictions have been lifted? The depth and extent of transformation is unclear, especially as it relates to the future design, use and perceptions of public space. This article aims to highlight emerging questions at the interface of COVID-19 and city design. It is possible that the COVID-19 crisis may fundamentally change our relationship with public space. In the ensuing months and years, it will be critical to study and measure these changes in order to inform urban planning and design in a post-COVID world.

CONCEPTS OF "BIOPHILIA" AND "LIVABILITY" IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SPACE IN CITIES

CONCEPTS OF "BIOPHILIA" AND "LIVABILITY" IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SPACE IN CITIES