The Value of Public Space

Creating new meaningful public realms faces many challenges.

Some see public space as just a setting for architecture. Others see spaces between buildings as a channel for footfall and its associated spending. For publicly funded spaces, ‘austerity’ means designing out maintenance and risk. All tend towards the neutral, the generic and empty.

With reference to recent and historical case studies, the lecture will explore an alternative approach which sees the public as the clients in public realm projects. Designing with specificity to site and situation creates spaces which are open to appropriation by many.  

From the particular can come the universal.