Public Space In City Research Articles

Searching for Contemporary Public Space - as an Element of City Planning Education

The main objective of research work presented in the paper is exploring the urban design solutions of shaping contemporary public spaces in cities, on the example of student’s projects realized at The Faculty of Architecture, The Warsaw University of Technology, especially in The Chair of Urban Design and Rural Landscape. One of the main aim of education at The Chair is teaching the creation of space, that could be observed in the whole teaching process, including lectures, seminars and in all types of design works.

Modernisation of Podlasie Cities’ Market Squares (Poland) in Context of Their Symbolic Values in History and Now

Public spaces in many cities of podlaskie province (Poland) were modernized after 2004 (the moment Poland entered EU). Some squares have already been modernized while the others are still waiting to be revitalized. The changes are made in many aspects. One of the most aspects of those modernizations is the exposition of the actual and new symbolization of the space and buildings. The aim of this work is to design the forms and themes of the new buildings, which are now used to build the symbolical programme of the squares in the cities of Podlasie. In that sense they built one of the cultural characteristics of our era. The studies were made in the context of historical conditions. The historical section was presented to approach the placing the symbolical contents in the spaces of the markets in the Podlasie cities. 40 towns were taken into account. The theme of the symbolical content was systematized typical for the objects placed in the markets space in different historical eras. The forms were defined of the present symbolical contents in the following groups: architectonical buildings (the town halls, modern buildings) little architecture (the sculptures, the fountains). Those topic groups and the content were presented and introduced into the market spaces of a group of the cities. The formal groups were set up: the sculptures, the statues, the little architecture, individually designed fountains, content architectonical furniture) and the trace the reminiscence of the historical architecture (e.g. the painting on the tiles on the square). The contents are associated with the history of those cities/towns, the person who set them up and the most important personalities in the history, the fiction characters, building the identity of the town.

Search of the Quality of City Public Space. Space Directing – Tool of Improvement

Directing the perceiver by space – influence of the spatial environment on a human being, with simultaneous intensification of anthropogenic aspects in the state of the development of this environment (whose quality is unsatisfactory) entails a necessity for professional space directing. Professional directing, that is defining the qualities of urbanistic and architectural space with the use of knowledge, experience, and intuition, concerning both the object of action (space) and this subject (human being) and consciously affecting the quality of the influence of this space on the user, on its perfecting, which would be favourable for the human being.The key to the auteur’s attitude, space directing, is then the analysis of the “object in the process”. Space directing examines the specific object which architecture constitutes in the process of its manifold relations with human being: perception (by), influence (on), exploitation (by). Space directing examines those predicted relations object-human being in the whole process of creation of the object (its designing and accomplishment) and in the process of modification of the object during its long-term exploitation.Space directing is designing of the relations space – human being in the freely predicted “theatre of everyday life”, the dynamic process of exploitation of the architectural and urbanistic space: an object beautiful in intention, durable, understandable.The intention behind the reflections herein is to demonstrate the usefulness of actions in relation to the urbanistic and architectural space derived from “theatrical laboratory” of the director’s procedure - in the director’s way of thinking in the process of creation; thinking in terms of predicting the reactions of the users during interaction with space and inspiring them through selection and gradation of media employed out of the whole, simultaneously examined matter available to the space director, so as to make those reactions, stemming from the way of “interpreting” the space come into being; in the director’s superiority in the investment process concerning the subject matter of managing the work; this enlargement of the role and competences of the architect, from the role of the author-designer to the role of the author-director of the whole work, during its creation and during its modification all through the time of its exploitation, since consistent creative activity, namely the author-director’s intellectual ability to create a synthesis of circumstances, improves the chances for a coherent (i.e. improving, not reducing the quality) accomplishment and possible further evolution of the work.

Rebirth of Multicultural Identity in Public Spaces of Lviv

The general aspect of the national identity is understood to be a specific stability of the national or civilizational parameters and their self-identity. The problem of the national identity in the modern globalized world includes, first and foremost, the cultural identity, which enables the nation to define its place in a transnational space. However, nowadays, we should, obviously, speak about the multicultural identity as the phenomenon of peaceful coexistence of the different cultures within a certain society. The purpose of the article is to show the problem of the national identity representation as a multicultural brand of a city public space in an author’s view. The formation and revival of a national identity have been considered by the example of an architectural environment of Lviv – the city, which was developing in the crossing of different (often opposite) geopolitical priorities, permanent rise and fall of the identification projects against the backdrop of a natural amplification or forcible reduction of a national diversification. The peculiarities of a contemporary level of the national identity forming in Ukraine are determined, on the one hand, by the need of the national idea realization on the basis of Ukrainian values, but, on the other hand, by the necessity of realizing the interests of citizens of other nationality despite to their class, ethnic, religious and political definiteness. This manifests itself in the architecture and public space of the city. Today, the public space of Lviv – a mono-cultural city according to the census (89% of the population consider themselves to be Ukrainians) is treated as a multicultural project, which provides for the organic insertion or revival of the elements of other cultures in its cultural area. It is manifested in a solicitous keeping of the «inherited identities» – the Austrian or Armenian visualization of the mythology concerning the «Polish Lviv» as well as in the formation of a new dialogue about the «Jewish Lviv». Architecture plays a key role in the design of the city multicultural identity, representing the appropriate symbols, myths and values in the buildings, monuments and memorial places.

Análisis de la distribución espacial de los espacios públicos en las ciudades del Distrito Central, Comayagua y Siguatepeque, Honduras, 2017

La identificación del patrón de distribución de los espacios públicos en las ciudades se analiza en el proyecto de investigación “Análisis Comparativo de la Distribución Espacial de los Espacios Públicos en las Ciudades del Distrito Central, Comayagua y Siguatepeque, Honduras”. Para cumplir con el objetivo de la investigación, metodológicamente se han utilizado las herramientas de los sistemas de información geográfica para realizar un análisis y conocer las similitudes y diferencias que existen entre la distribución espacial de los espacios públicos de las ciudades en estudio. El resultado produjo que la distribución espacial de los espacios públicos en las tres ciudades presenta similitud en la categoría de infraestructura deportiva y recreativa, y diferencia en la categoría cultural.

A Comparative Study of Public Open Space Handling Methodology in Urban Area

P ublic open spaces (POS) handling in urban areas, regardless of their form , can be approached by various methods based on the potential and problems that exist in the POS. The public open spaces here can be in the form of green open spaces in the area, roads, parks, or outside natural spaces that function as public service facilities, including areas of the site developed into POS. Through this article we will look at four different cases for POS in three European cities and one Indonesian city which are carried out with different approaches as presented from the four scientific articles studied. The selected cities are located in Turkey, Cyprus, Montenegro and Denpasar, Indonesia. The reason for choosing four cities in various countries wa s also based on the physical and cultural character of these countries. By studying the different approaches taken, it is hoped that an understanding of the relationship between POS management results and the POS factual problems will result in the conclusion of the most appropriate approach to choose. Thus, it is expected to also find a relationship between the physical and cultural character of a country with the pattern of handling the city's public space.

Sharing Economies, Technologies, and the Changing Nature of Urban Public Space in Medium-Sized Cities

Public spaces ensure the functional operation and resource sharing in all cities. Streets, squares, and parks afford cultural, socio-economic, and ecological activities benefitting society. However, technology and sharing economies are changing the use of urban spaces. Planners and designers must, therefore, consider the evolution of sharing and other technologies that continue to alter the formation of space in growing medium-sized cities. Public space in a city is a spectrum from the streets to the privacy within homes, and this transect is now being blurred by sharing technology and practices. This paper examines the impact that new technologies and sharing economies have on the way public spaces are generated and used, and what opportunities exist to mitigate negative changes using a human-centered focus and ecological wisdom.

Культурна цінність та поліфункціональність суспільного простору міської площі: історико-культурологічний контекст

The article explores changes in the organization and functioning of public space in cities in the context of sociocultural dynamics – from antiquity to modernity. The sociocultural features of open urban space in ancient Greece and Rome, Renaissance Italy, modern Europe, the USA, Latin America, Ukraine are clarified. The experience of the functioning and management of public space is analyzed on specific examples of world- famous urban squares – Antique agora, roman forum, piazza del Campo in Siena, piazza della Signoria in Florence, piazza San Marco in Venice, Union Square in New York, Latin American squares, Bibikovsky boulevard and University park in old Kyiv, "Maydan" – Independence Square in contemporary Kyiv. Particular attention is being given to transformations of ceremonial, religious, recreational, economic, political, aesthetic and moral functions of open public space. Urban squares are places for official celebrations and religious rituals. They serves as a place of a rest, realization of creative ideas and are a conductor of public communication. Public spaces create opportunities for trade, affect the formation and retention of real estate prices, and are a means of attracting investment and business development in them and adjacent territories. All these provide opportunities for uniting citizens for joint projects and activities, political protests or symbolization of power. It is noted that the cultural value of the modern square is manifested in architectural forms, aesthetics of recreational areas and historical monuments, and is associated with its ability to be a place for the proclamation and implementation of high moral ideals of order, equality, solidarity, freedom, independence, human dignity, the value of moral rights and civic virtues. From the time of antiquity to the present day, the central squares of cities, as a public space, reproduce the aesthetics of the city and become a symbol of spiritual and political power, since temples, municipalities, financial and commercial institutions, theaters, and restaurants are often concentrated in such spaces.

Planning with self‑organised initiatives

Planning with self‑organised initiatives

From the Streets: Public and Private Space in an Early Maya City

Modern life in cities involves perpetual tensions between private and public spaces evoking the question whether such tensions existed when cities first emerged. This paper investigates such tensions at the lowland Maya site of Nixtun-Ch’ich’ in Peten, Guatemala. The city developed along with other such settlements in the Maya region, sometime between 2800 and 2500 years ago. This anomalous site has the earliest known rectangular urban grid in the Americas. Such grids have not been found in other preColumbian Maya settlements. Gridded urban space requires the invention of public space, streets, and the grid. Even with these three characteristics present, they require social mechanisms (city planning and the means to implement the plan) capable of “rationalizing” city space. They also necessitate the power to regulate public spaces if the grid is to exist over long periods of time. The gridded streets of Nixtun-Ch’ich’ seem to be the most public of all spaces at the site. Nevertheless, a longue duree examination of the site reveals that private space gradually extended into and decreased the size of public space. These transformations tend to suggest a shift from a more cooperative to a more competitive social environment, which may correlate with elaborated social differentiation and segmentation.

Czy potrzebujemy „architektury oporu”?

Do we need “architecture of resistance”?The modern city design adapts to the consumer behavior of its inhabitants. The city-dwellers, under various slogans and ideologies, are willing to pay for their apparent security and live in a soulless yet sheltered residential development spaces. The American visionary and architect Lebbeus Woods has recognized architecture as a political act. He also thought that most architects are egotistical, self-styled executives who consider themselves creators. In view of the increasing tendency of ghettoisation of public space in cities, a critical attitude has to be adapted. By analyzing the mechanisms of spatial segregation, I point to the architecture of resistance gaining in importance as a form of fulfilling utopia in the creation of an inclusive city.

Ruang Publik sebagai Representasi Kebijakan dan Medium Komunikasi Publik

This study aims to analyze how public space can be a representation of public pride and its contribution as a medium of public communication. The selection of Serus City public space locus research which is objectively the Capital of Banten Province is expected to be a representation and role model for cities with ideal public spaces. The method used is a qualitative approach. The technique carried out by researchers is a survey of academic literature in the field of public policy and communication in order to obtain concepts that are relevant to research. The technique of collecting data is through searching various sources and literature both from government documents and reporting on print and electronic mass media, journals and books related to public administration and communication. The results of the study indicate that the management of public spaces in Serang City still does not represent pro-public policies, this is a challenge for public policy stakeholders in Serang City in formulating the management of ideal public spaces. The objective condition of Serang City's public space still cannot be a medium of public communication that is able to encourage freedom of thought and egalitarian action in the public sphere.

Mobility Policies and Extra-Small Projects for Improving Mobility of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The paper focuses on the relationship between cities and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Specifically, this research aims to provide practical guidelines on how to design urban policies and urban design projects, such that they improve the capabilities of people with ASD to walk across the city and access relevant public urban spaces and facilities. Although this is a well-defined field of research, this paper should be seen as a contribution to the debate on the understanding of disability as a product of processes of human-environment interaction and as an attempt to address issues of mobility for people with disabilities by taking into account their personal characteristics and capabilities. Current methodological and operational efforts on the role of spatial configuration as a means for improving the autonomy of people with ASD focus almost exclusively on the design of closed, separated, private spaces, devoted only to people with ASD (mainly children). Starting from these considerations, the paper describes a research project aimed at defining an integrated set of urban mobility policies and extra-small urban design projects to provide people with ASD a real opportunity of using their city.

Under the Flyovers of Kuala Lumpur: User centered activities in leftover spaces

Existences of public spaces in cities are essentials for social interactions to take place, fostering the creation of sustainable, safe and livable cities. Although public spaces are often designed for certain activities, existence of unplanned spaces seemed interwoven in the cityscape, some in the form of leftover spaces, including under the flyovers and bridges, which offers an abundance of opportunities. This paper attempts to review activities under flyovers initiated by its local community in Kuala Lumpur and aims to contribute in further identifying the leftover spaces, and to the possible activities to be considered in developing these spaces to benefit surrounding communities.

Public Spaces and Cultural Heritage in Community Projects – the Example of Warsaw

Public space in cities is widely seen as a developmental resource.It thus becomes a kind of urban product, and a lure for a range of groups of current and potential users. Cities compete for prestige and standing by creating new spaces or altering existing ones. The author attempts to assess the extent to which filling such a space with historical content is a significant contributing factor to the pursuit of such goals and the fulfilment of these tasks. The background for the analysis are projects submitted for the citizens’ participatory budget for the Polish capital, Warsaw.

Paisaje urbano y espacio público como expresión de la vida cotidiana

Given that urban landscape is the expression of everything perceivable in a city's public spaces, the analysis of urban attributes allows identifying patterns, sequences, and units in the urban landscape that lead to establishing design criteria in terms of visual quality. The paper proposes to study the attributes of the visual and functional quality of urban landscapes, including physical attributes: physical-spatial configuration, activities, biodiversity and diversity; as well as psychological attributes: physical integrity and aesthetic expression, which are applied to the assessment and design of public spaces in a sector of the historic center of the city of Merida (Venezuela). The methodological approach of the multidimensional construction of urban landscapes is used to explain conceptual aspects that affect the perception of public spaces, in relation to the attributes of urban space. This assumption suggests further aspects that demonstrate its usefulness for future research and design proposals on urban landscape.

Общественное пространство современного города как арт-объект

Architectural and spatial changes in city public space occurred during the 20th century. The emergence of new forms of the social and cultural life of the community is the main cause of these transformations. Nowadays typical of early 20th century cultural publicity is superseded by the mass “exodus” of people into privacy. The tendency for more privacy leads to the fact that the squares and streets cease to be a meeting place and a place for a dialogue, which moved into the closed space. In response to the cultural challenges, city public spaces changed or disappeared and new architectural and spatial constructs have been created. Artistic practices are among the modern methods of the resuscitation of public spaces. The objects of street art and public art that transform the streets, squares, industrial and transport areas are in the focus of our attention. The methods of the creation of art objects on the basis of the existing urban spaces are considered by the example of completed projects in Russia and abroad. Art allows us to create the new identity public spaces of the city turning it into the creative communications platform of an urban community. Works of art are powerful resources for the transformation of urban space, its redesign in line with the new needs of the society. New urban art objects do not fit the classic definition and are not determined by the traditional criteria. Urban art has reinterpreted public spaces and given rise to the new image of a modern city.

Comparative recreational assessment of Karaganda city public green spaces

This article represents evaluation of recreation environment on the territory of the large industrial city of Karaganda, located in the dry steppe zone of Central Kazakhstan. A comparison of quantitative and qualitative indicators, level of recreational attractiveness and providing the citizens with public green spaces, allowed to make a more complete characterization the urban recreation places and to identify the city districts, which require prioritized fundraising for development of existing parks and public gardens, and for creation of new territories of recreational purpose. Based on the results of conducted expert assessment and sociological survey of visitors, the main problems of urban green areas were identified and also the most high-demand trends and practical recommendations for their improvement and further use were proposed.

현대 공공공간의 새로운 가능성 고찰

현대 공공공간의 새로운 가능성 고찰

Przedsiębiorcze podejście w kształtowaniu dobrej jakości przestrzeni publicznej

Jeden z najistotniejszych i integralnych elementów składowych wielowarstwowego tworu, jakim jest miasto, to jego przestrzeń publiczna. Umiejętnie kształtowana i utrzymywana przestrzeń miejska w swojej wielowymiarowości społecznej, kulturowej, funkcjonalnej i fizycznej może stanowić rodzaj produktu w marketingu miasta. Przedmiotem niniejszego artykułu jest omówienie wybranych przykładów odzwierciedlających ekonomiczne aspekty kształtowania miejskich przestrzeni publicznych, dotyczących wybranych metod finansowania ich budowy, zarządzania nimi, a także przedsiębiorczego podejścia do tego zagadnienia zarówno w sferze sektora publicznego, prywatnego, jak i oddolnych, społecznych przedsięwzięć. Jako rodzaj inspiracji w artykule przedstawiono przykłady strategicznych rozwiązań i narzędzi polityki przestrzennej, funkcjonujące od kilkudziesięciu lat w Nowym Jorku, mające na celu wspieranie inwestycji na rzecz rozwoju miejskiej przestrzeni publicznej z korzyścią dla tzw. dobra wspólnego, ale także przynoszące miastu wymierne korzyści finansowe. W ujęciu polskim jako przykłady przedsiębiorczej postawy władz miejskich przytoczono m.in. Inicjatywy o charakterze publiczno-prywatnym, a także wybrane flagowe realizacje projektów przekształceń i rewitalizacji przestrzeni miejskich, dokonane dzięki funduszom unijnym, które w znaczący sposób wpłynęły na zmianę wizerunku i jakość życia w omawianych obszarach miejskich. Poruszono ponadto wątek miastotwórczych, przedsiębiorczych inicjatyw oddolnych, służących jakościowym przemianom przestrzeni publicznej. Odnosząc się do polityki przestrzennej polskich władz samorządowych, wskazano na potrzebę łączenia podejścia przedsiębiorczego z głęboką świadomością złożoności funkcjonowania współczesnych miast oraz respektowaniem regulacji prawnych z zakresu planowania przestrzennego.