The Future of Public Space:Beyond Invented Streets and Reinvented Places

Abstract

Patricia Melvin's painting depicts a common use of public space—a street fair—in New York City, possibly the most public city in the U.S. Are such uses of public space becoming events of the past in America? Are we destined to withdraw further into cyberspace as the popularity of the Internet expands? Will the only public spaces left be commercially invented ones? These and other related questions are examined by Tridib Banerjee in this Longer View, with a focus on what role planners can play in determining the future of public space. The artist lives and works in New York City. Her primary medium is oil paint and her cityscapes, done en plein air, capture moments in the rapidly changing urban environment. Her work can be viewed at http://www.newyorkartworld.com. We worry these days that public space, indeed the public realm, is shrinking. This essay examines the underlying causes of such discontent, in the context of historic and recent transformations in social values and public ethos. Seemingly, three major trends—privatization, globalization, and the communications revolution—will continue to shape the future demand and supply of public space. Planners must anticipate the effects of such trends, but also focus on the concept of public life, which encompasses both private and public realms. The article concludes by reviewing the role that planners may play in advancing the cause of public space and the opportunities and initiatives for the future.