Track 08: public space

Public spaces were always at the forefront of urban life, playing significant roles and functions in shaping urban settings. Although the progressive complexity of a clear definition of what public space is, the track draws on the hypothesis that this polysemous concept is exemplary in expressing political and social realities but also thrives debates around physical, tangible space as a pillar space of urban experience. Our first encounter with cities and urban experiences occurs in their public spaces. These spaces represent current lifestyle trends but also echo memories. Public spaces are often "game changers" that herald alternative urban realities. One example includes transformations following the COVID-19 pandemic. Public spaces accommodate a panoply of activities, from mundane acts of conviviality to demonstrations or endeavours that try to belong and partake in democracy and different expressions and claims for spatial and social justice. Public space as a “game changer” is ironically the time-space of conflict and its dissolution. These spaces reflect the discourses and practices of tolerance towards differences and display or disguise the tensions immanent in encounters and exchanges across diverse urban cultures.

Several authors in urban studies have underlined public space as a central element of the built environment for the community and public life. Since the 1990s, the concept has attracted researchers from diverse disciplines, leading to the emergence of transdisciplinary debates on public space. Several scholars have had critical insights on the social impacts and risks associated with the profound transformation of urban public space, especially with recent environmental constraints and challenges on life quality faced with increasing densities in global metropolises. The complexity of the open public space’s landscape underlines the elusive character of the subject while continuing to stimulate new streams of methodological investigations and theories. 

This track aims to engage in a debate confronting contemporary realities of mass immigration, global conflicts, recurrent financial crises, and environmental urgency. We are particularly interested in discussions highlighting the potential of public space as an act of negotiation of territorial thresholds at different scales. Within a more homogenised world (through the globalisation of trends, norms, and costumes), we seek to revisit the discussion on public space planning and the significant challenges of addressing questions of appropriation (from minorities or marginalised populations), dominance (of gender, political groups), and belonging (ethnic, geographical, cultural, religious groups). The entry of cultural diversity could be a legitimate one to unveil dynamics of creation, practice and representation of public spaces outside the geographical dominance of the Western world but also by tending to bridge regions with significant differences in terms of political and social organisation (for example countries of the Mediterranean Bassin). The continuing debate and understanding of public space as a construction of tremendous volatility could offer the necessary decentring of planning to questions of tolerance, differentiation, civic power, and justice. This 'step aside’ will allow Occidental and European planning to learn by examples of Global South & East regions and establish dialogue on new toolkits of analysis and understanding of public space through citizens’ aspirations, engagements and beliefs.

This track invites abstracts that explore the construction of peace or "game-changing" at different scales and through diverse disciplines to reflect the position of urban studies within this process and build on observations, experimentation, and narration of the transformative power of peace within public spaces. We particularly encourage papers that examine how bottom-up initiatives, out-of-the-box policies, and internationally constructed movements find anchorage in public space transformations and shaping within their political position, cultural identity, and the demand for peace.  

Keywords: care, culture, digitalisation, diversity, identity, inclusion, memory, political urban space, spatial justice, temporality, transformation

1. Christine Mady: Repurposing Abandoned Infrastructure As Social Infrastructure Towards Social Inclusion: The Case Of Baana, Helsinki
2. Karina Landman: Regenerative Public Space As A Game-Changing Option For Thriving Communities
3. Kundani Makakavhule: In The Name Of Peace - Sanitise
4. Laura Berger: Library As An Urban Experience: Convivial And Enclosed
5. Sara Altamore: Superdiversity In Public Spaces: Urban Practices For Religious Plurality In The Contemporary City. The Experience Of The “Sustainable Religious Tour” Project In Torpignattara, Rome. 
6. Giulio Giovannoni: Enhancing Suburban Life With Victor Gruen: Lessons From Two Tuscan Malls

1. Jihee Park: Tracing The Societal Production Of Public Gardens: Analyzing The National Garden Masterplan Design Process In South Korea
2. Antonella Bruzzese: Management And Publicness Of Public Space: Changes And Challenges
3. Gabriela Quintana Vigiola: Catholicism, Violence And Institutions: Drivers Of Informal Settlements’ Public Places In Caracas
4. Sergio Moraes: Public Spaces And Territoriality: A Study Of The Banks Of The Ibiraquera Lagoon In Santa Catarina, Brazil
5. Mareike Schmidt : Here, There And Everywhere – Negotiations On The Redistribution Of Street Space
6. Dilcu Gonul: Evaluating The Impact Of Spatial Interaction On Human Capital's Sense Of Belonging To The City: The Case Of Kutahya

1. Pelin Işık: Playful Urbanism In Diyarbakır: Dynamics Of Power And Play In Public Space Design
2. Gonçalo Santinha: Unveiling Urban Engagement: A Comprehensive Study Of Older Adults' Interaction With Public Spaces
3. Francesco Rossini: Hybrid Temporary Urbanism And The Governance Of Fragments In Hong Kong And Chinese Cities
4. Anika Slawski: Learning From Everyday Placemaking For Inclusive And Socially Sustainable Places
5. Elke Schlack: Production Of Public Space In Community-Based Urbanizations In Chile
6. Omer Melikoglu: Unveiling The Queer Migrant Experiences In Istanbul
7. Matej Nikšič: From Rural Legacy To Suburban Living: The Evolution Of Public Spaces In Polhograjski Dolomiti Through Smoties Experimentation

1. Shiva Nouri: Spaces Of Being In Between: A Multi-Ethnographic Exploration Of Migrant Women's Experience In Virtual And Physical Spaces
2. Stefania Ragozino: Women, Urban Commons And Everyday Life: Updating Interpretive Categories With Competent Activists
3. Brigida Proto: On Freedom, Public Space And Women’s Experiences Of Prostitution. The (In)Visible World Of The Bois De Vincennes In Paris
4. Niraj Verma: Integrating Critique As A Game Changer: Using Universal Design (Design For All) To Inform The Scholarship On Public Space
5. Michalis Psaras: Co-creating urban knowledge in diverse public spaces: combining evidence-based design with bottom-up citizens initiatives.

1. Zhenming Yang: Exploring Child-Friendly Waterfront Public Spaces Using A Photovoice Study: A Pilot In The Yangpu Waterfront, Shanghai, China
2. Evangelia-Maria Kouvara, et al: Public Space In The Polycrisis Era
3. Karla Barrantes Chaves: Urban Parks Through People’s New Lens: Opportunities Behind Covid-19 For Public Spaces’ Policies In Costa Rica
4. Francesca Dal Cin: The Public Space Between Land And Sea. Quarteira's Case
5. Lucia Nucci: Public Open Spaces As Game-Changer In The Post-Covid City
6. Catarina Caldeira: Heterotopy And Transformations
7. Aslı Ulubaş Hamurcu: Exploring User Preferences And Place Attachment In Urban (Public) Spaces: A Case Study Of Kadıköy Historical City Centre, Istanbul, Türkiye

1. Olena Holubowska: Spaces Of Diversity: An Analysis Of Amenities Promoting Mixing Among Residents With Varied Income And Backgrounds
2. Kexin Cheng: Balance Of Commercial Gentrification And Community Preservation: Transformation Of Street Spaces In Xiaoxihu, China
3. Yan Zhou: Continuing Community Spirit: Study On The Public Space Of “Pu Jing” Community In The Ancient City Of Quanzhou
4. Gustavo Lopes Dos Santos: The (Spoiled?) Legacy Of Lisbon 2023 World Youth Day: Unraveling The Influence Of Media And Public Opinion On Opportune Urban Planning
5. Victoria Sachsé: Exploring Urban Transformations: An In-Depth Analysis Of Festival Des Cabanes As A Co-Production Of Public Spaces In Lille
6. May Saeedi, et al: Analytical study of hospitality culture and urban identity and its impact on the future of marine tourism in Red Sea coastal port cities: case study of Jeddah Saudi Arabia

Room Chapsal, 27 rue Saint-Guillaume, 75007 Paris

1. Anna Kuzyshyn: Common Resilient Public Space To Integrate Internally Displaces Persons (IDP)
2. Sitong Luo: The Cultural Ecosystem Services Of Informal Green Spaces In Deprived Neighborhoods: An In-Depth Interview Study
3. Naja Marot: Spatial Planning And Management Of Recreational Infrastructure In The Context Of Social Changes In Last 30 Years
4. Federica Scaffidi: Stories Of Urban Regeneration With Social Innovation A Comparison Of 100 Examples In Europe
5. Cigdem Cakar: Merve Akdag, The Transformative Power of Play: The Oyun Istanbul Hop Project in the Context of Tactical Urbanism
6. Nihan Oya Memlük Çobanoğlu: Neighborhoods Under Pressure: Urban Transformation and the Erosion of ‘Active Edges’

1. Qianhui He: The Impact Of Online Social Activities On Public Spaces In The Digital Era: A Case Study Of Guochuang Park In Nanjing
2. Chuan Wang: Assessing Effectiveness Of Public Space Regeneration Through Computer-Vision-Based Behavioural Analysis: Evidence From Daxianglu Street, Nanjing
3. Ifigeneia Kokkali: The Open Orchestra Project In The Public Spaces Of Athens: An Urban Utopia With Transformative Power?
4. Gabriele Pasqui: Urbanism, In Practice. A Planning Experience On Public Space And Urban Regeneration In Milan
5. Danielle Sinnett: Exploring Green, Blue, Grey Infrastructure And Neighbourhood Satisfaction, Quality Of Life, Health And Wellbeing In Bristol, UK

1. Patricia Aelbrecht: Assessing The Social Outcomes Of Social Infrastructure: Testing, And Implementing A Method Within London's Local Authorities
2. Roza Tchoukaleyska: Building Resilient Public Spaces: Lessons From A Cooperative Farmers’ Market
3. Gregorio Pezzoli: Designing The 'Right To Mobility': A Holistic Analysis To Rethink The Public City And Fighting Heat Waves In Urban Areas
4. Thibault Carcano: Marginality in train stations – the making of the norm in a (simili-)public space.