Public spaces are inherently designed to be free spaces, open to everyone, regardless of the social class, age, gender, or race. They are tied to Henri Lefebvre’s concept of The Right to the City, which states that individuals should have equal opportunities to benefit from the various aspects of urban life. Despite their significance in transforming urban life and city functioning, they are often being overlooked for many reasons, such as poor urban planning or financial constraints. However, cities that focus on environmentally sustainable, economically vibrant, and socially inclusive public spaces perform better.
Parque Madureira. Aerial photo of the urban park, located in a high-density suburban neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Image source: Open Spaces System Lab (SEL-RJ). Rio de Janeiro, 2017.
Interested in learning more about how public spaces can boost livability in cities? I have gathered in this post some inspiring open-access publications that highlight how city leaders, policymakers, and urban practitioners can better plan, finance, and manage public spaces to achieve livable cities for all. Check them out:
1. The Journal of Public Space – City Space Architecture
The Journal of Public Space is a research project developed by City Space Architecture, a non-profit organization based in Italy, in partnership with the UN-Habitat. It is an international and interdisciplinary open-access journal entirely dedicated to the study of public spaces.
2. Land Lines Magazine – Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Land Lines is a quarterly magazine of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy that aims to explore not only public spaces issues but also a broader range of correlated matters such as climate change, housing, and land policies.
3. The Hidden Wealth of Cities: Creating, Financing, and Managing Public Spaces – World Bank Group
Launched in 2020, this World Bank’s publication discusses the complexities that surround the creation and management of successful public spaces and draws on the analyses and experiences of case studies around the globe.
Enjoy your reading!