Public Space and the Development of Wireless Media

2018 ◽  
pp. 289-309
Author(s):  
Alex Lambert ◽  
Scott McQuire ◽  
Nikos Papastergiadis
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Wireless Internet ◽  
Internet Delivery

This chapter builds on research into Australian free Wi-Fi initiatives conducted in late 2012 and early 2013. It tours through a range of global developments in wireless internet delivery, focusing on how these influence the character of public spatiality, participation, and social inclusion. While there have been numerous technical and commercial advances, the authors argue that free public services narrowly focus on constructing public spaces of consumption and spectacle, and valorising public activities through increasingly granular sensor surveillance. The authors offer an expanded conception of what it means to value public space and to participate socially, culturally, and politically in public. The chapter concludes with the concerning gap between small scale projects that experiment with these concepts and the large-scale institutions that ignore them.

scholarly journals Possibilities to Apply the Urban Acupuncture Concept in Kaunas: Social Aspect

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 18-27
Author(s):  
Aurelija Daugelaite ◽  
Indre Gražulevičiūte-Vileniške ◽  
Mantas Landauskas
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Art ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Street Art ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Design ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The City

The concept of urban acupuncture, which has been gaining ground in recent decades, is based on the activation and revitalization of urban environments using small architectural or landscape architectural interventions in precise carefully selected locations of urban fabric. However, the rapid and unexpected design solutions of urban acupuncture, based on ecological design, nature dynamics, street art, material re-use, can cause different social and psychological reactions of urban population and these reactions may vary depending on cultural contexts. Consequently, in order to implement successful urban acupuncture projects in Lithuanian cities, it is very important to find out public opinion and priorities in the fields of public space management, aesthetics, and public art. The aim of the research was to analyze the opinion of Kaunas city residents regarding these issues. For this purpose, a sociological questionnaire survey was used. The questionnaire containing 20 questions was designed, with the aim to find out the trends of use of public spaces in the city, the attitudes of residents towards street art and other small-scale initiatives in public spaces implemented in the recent years, possibilities of creating landscape architecture based on ecological ideas in urban environment, the attitude of inhabitants towards community spaces and community space design in the city, etc. 100 residents of Kaunas participated in this online administered survey. The survey has demonstrated general positive attitude towards contemporary design trends of public spaces and public art; however, the surveyed population expressed preferences towards fully equipped public spaces offering possibilities for a wide range of activities.

scholarly journals Cambridge Servicemen’s Memorial (Breuer, 1945): espacio público para el recuerdo

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Salvador José Sanchís Gisbert ◽  
Pedro Ponce Gregorio ◽  
Ignacio Peris Blat
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
First Year ◽  
Residential Land ◽  
The Public ◽  
International Recognition ◽  
The World ◽  
Strong Commitment

Marcel Breuer was in the first year of architectural technicians to graduate from Bauhaus School. The peculiar education he received there allowed him to explore the concept of design in its broadest sense. In his European stage we find, on the most private and small scale, unique solutions for furniture. In his first American stage we see a strong commitment with solutions related to the residential land and, when he earned international recognition, he developed large scale solutions for his public non-residential buildings and urban equipments in locations all over the world. It is strange to see that an architect like him did not have the opportunity to materialize any of his proposals associated with the public space. The 1945 Cambridge Servicemen’s Memorial project, also known as the Memorial War, is the most significant one he developed in his last years in Cambridge. Had it been built, it would have been a valuable example of modernity and contemporary reinterpretation of the monument in the public space.

Neighbourhood-scale public spaces, inter-group attitudes and migrant integration in Beijing, China

Urban Studies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (12) ◽  
pp. 2491-2509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilin Liu ◽  
Yiming Tan ◽  
Yanwei Chai
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Mass Migration ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Scale Spaces ◽  
Neighbourhood Scale ◽  
Residents Attitudes ◽  
Meaningful Interaction ◽  
Beijing China

Cities worldwide face the challenge of persistent social polarisation that is exacerbated by the mass migration of populations. Scholars have debated whether the planning of public spaces, which presumably fosters inter-group encounter, potentially reduces prejudice against minorities such as migrants, and eventually promotes social inclusiveness. This research uses a large-scale questionnaire survey conducted in 36 neighbourhoods (estates) in Beijing, China, combined with field observations and interviews, to investigate whether the presence, perception and use of neighbourhood-scale spaces of encounter are relevant in predicting residents’ attitudes towards migrant social inclusion, particularly with respect to equal access to citizenship and government welfare. Qualitative and quantitative analyses found that residents’ inclusiveness attitude is less associated with the physical presence of public spaces and facilities in the neighbourhood, and more with actually using such spaces for neighbourly encounters in daily life. The findings echo recent critiques of the romanticised view of public spaces for urban encounters, and suggest that neighbourhood planning of public spaces should incorporate elements from social projects that facilitate meaningful interaction between native and migrant residents to achieve the goal of building an inclusive city.

scholarly journals Public Wi-Fi

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Alex Lambert ◽  
Scott McQuire ◽  
Nikos Papastergiardis
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
Social Good ◽  
City Councils ◽  
The Social ◽  
Large Scale Networks

Public Wi-Fi services are rolling out across Australia, with city councils and telcos building large-scale networks in urban areas. Questions as to the value of public Wi-Fi have never been more significant in the Australian context. In this article we explore how free Wi-Fi services offered by cultural institutions and municipalities influence public spaces, and ask how such services can engender practices which promote the social good. Drawing on ethnographic research into six Wi-Fi equipped spaces in Victoria, we find a variety of issues which influence whether a service will be popular and hence have a significant influence on public space. Services which are popular enable a range of uses, and this can add to the appeal and atmosphere of a space. However, Wi-Fi has yet to truly facilitate the kind of social interactions and rich civic placemaking we associate with the social good.

scholarly journals RECEPTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION SMALL-SCALE PUBLIC SPACES: CITY`S LIVING ROOMS

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-22
Author(s):  
S. G MALYShEVA ◽  
A. S KRISTAL'SKAYa
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Living Room ◽  
City Environment ◽  
The City

In article are considered problems of organization of small-scale public space by a principle of city`s living room, which promotes dialogue between townspeople and introduces sensations of heat, cosiness and security of house conditions in the city environment. Characteristics of city`s living room are given and receptions of the organization of such spaces are resulted.

scholarly journals Critical conversations: Social workers’ perceptions of the use of a closed Facebook group as a participatory professional space

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 42-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deb Stanfield ◽  
Liz Beddoe ◽  
Neil Ballantyne ◽  
Simon Lowe ◽  
Nicole Renata
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Group Members

INTRODUCTION: The rise of social media has been associated with rapid growth in different forms of digital networking, debate and activism. Many studies have traced the role of social media in mobilising people to take action on shared issues of concern across the world. Yet, while networked public spaces offer many possibilities for professional engagement and interaction, the technology also shapes social dynamics, raising questions over professional boundaries and the nature of online behaviour.METHOD: The development of a closed professional group on the social networking site, Facebook, provided an ideal opportunity to explore social workers’ perceptions of participatory public space for professional deliberation and debate about public issues. Using a small-scale, case-study approach, group members were invited to complete an online survey and to participate in an interview which explored participants’ motivation for joining the group, the frequency and nature of their contributions, how it felt to be a member and what they valued or found problematic about the group.FINDINGS:  Those group members benefitted from the resources, research and professional development opportunities afforded to them and supported the professional potential and promise of social networking sites. They grappled with what constitutes ethical online behaviour and identified the site’s limitations and strengths as a place to promote robust professional dialogue on social issues. IMPLICATIONS: Analysis of social workers’ experience within participatory public spaces offers insight into how the profession can develop modern communication strategies and strong communities of practice in line with its professional principles and mandate.

scholarly journals Using drawing as a tool to explore public space

2018 ◽  
pp. 115-148
Author(s):  
Richard Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Simple Form ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The Political ◽  
Drawing Process ◽  
Political Landscape

With my background in architecture, my approach to better understanding public space is to use a process of exploration, observation and drawing on location, or as it’s called in some forums as “urban sketching”. With observation I try to understand the elements of the built environment which contribute to the vitality of a city. My drawings become comments on either the political landscape or social context of a particular place. Before I start the drawing process, I explore, observe, and talk to local people, gathering information on the layers complexity that exist in order to better understand place. This observational approach forms a framework to work within and enables me to begin the process of making an interpretation, through drawing, of a place. A key aim of this approach is to distill what I see into a simple form. Whether it be a large expansive wall drawing, or a small scale drawing in a sketch book, my artwork has the aspirational aim to provoke a wider discussion about our cities, public spaces, and the built environment. It also tries to look at how people use these spaces, and document what’s important to a “soul” of a place and how this approach resonates with its characteristics. Using drawing as a tool to highlight a message has enabled me to express ideas on how public space can be improved and enhanced from a social, political and experiential point of view.

Tokyo, Japan – urbanistic hybridity in a networked metropolis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
João Rafael Santos
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Space Structure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Urban Management ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Networks ◽  
Urban Transition

Purpose This paper aims to identify relevant innovations in Tokyo’s spatial articulation of infrastructure, building and public space, intertwining large-scale networks with local scale urban fabrics, to inform urban management towards sustainable urban transitions. Design/methodology/approach The research used a methodological combination of literature review, relevant case identification and analysis, on-site survey and photography, morphological interpretation through cartographic analysis and urban space and architectural redrawing and discussion under the conceptual framework. Findings Under Japan’s cultural construct, public/private thresholds are blurred and layered, defining a public space network which includes not only large-scale urban objects, such as railroad and commercial hubs but also small scale, hybrid and rather aweless forms of urban space, which can be of interest to the challenges of sustainable urban transition. Research limitations/implications Adaptations in urban management and design need to consider the multi-scalar embeddedness of urban networks in local fabrics, considering public space structure and socio-cultural specificities. Limitations to growth-oriented rationale require increasingly decentralized networks and more hybrid spatial configurations in buildings, infrastructures and public space. Originality/value Tokyo represents an example of how a network-dependent metropolis, accommodates highly adaptive, inconspicuous and decentralized forms of basic service provision with an impact on the perception, use and management of public space. The main argument lies in the potential that these spatial arrangements hold as references for contemporary urban management and design in what pertains to societal challenges, low-carbon transition and network optimization.

scholarly journals Who owns the beach? Conflicts over public spaces in a tourism economy

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-201
Author(s):  
Christian Tobler Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Land Occupation ◽  
Tourist Town ◽  
Local Politicians ◽  
History Of ◽  
Tourism Economy ◽  
The Town

ABSTRACT As the town of Canoas has transitioned from a fishing village to a growing tourist town, the beaches have become the center of economic and cultural activities. The occupation of beaches by small scale vendors has created conflict among different groups including hotel developers, surfers, migrants, and local politicians. These groups have different aesthetics and ideas of public space, creating conflicting over what beaches should look like and how they should be used. This research analyzes the day to day practices through which different groups claim beach spaces and the ways these claims are challenged. These conflicts illustrate the struggles over environmental governance between municipal, state, and federal governments. This research contextualizes the occupation of public space in a longer legal history of land occupation and environmental protection in Brazil, examining the constant negotiations between traditional and legal systems of land rights. Keywords: Beach. Public Spaces. Tourism. Brazil.   RESUMO Desde que a cidade de Canoas passou de uma vila de pescadores para uma cidade turística crescente, as praias se tornarem o centro de atividades culturais e econômicas. Esta ocupação de praias por vendedoras criou conflitos entre diferentes grupos incluindo empresários hoteleiros, surfistas, migrantes e políticos locais. Estes grupos têm diferentes estética e ideias de espaço público, criando conflito de como as praias devem aparecer e como elas deverem ser usadas. Esta pesquisa analisa as práticas cotidianas através das quais diferentes grupos ocupam espaços de praia e como estas ocupações são contestadas. Esses conflitos ilustram a briga sobre governança ambiental entre o poder público municipal, estadual e federal. Esta pesquisa contextualiza a ocupação do espaço público em uma longa história jurídica de ocupação do terra e proteção ambiental no Brasil, examinando as constantes negociações entre os sistemas tradicionais e jurídicos de direitos à terra. Palavras-Chave: Praia. Espaço Público. Turismo. Brasil.

scholarly journals The importance of public spaces to social integration for young migrant workers in Hanoi

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-120
Author(s):  
Le Lan Huong
Keyword(s):  
Social Integration ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Space Design

In Hanoi, there are currently tens of thousands of migrants working in peri-urban industrial zones and small-scale private manufacturing workshops in the inner city and construction sites. Many of them live in precarious houses, where the quality of life is rather poor, and they travel with little integration. For this reason, this project has been carried out and investigated how public spaces are used by the migrant workers, hereby finding out the difficulties they may have encountered while trying to integrate into the local community and suggesting some solutions to their integration by means of public space design. The main research methods include the qualitative survey with half-structured interviews conducted in three wards: Truong Dinh, Thuy Phuong and Sai Dong. The research outcomes reveal the most frequently-visited places among young migrant workers. It is noticeable that they do not go there very often. The main reason for this fact is that they do not have enough time or money. In addition, there is a lack of good-quality public space near their homes and their understanding of the importance of public space remains incomplete. This study also suggests that how those public buildings could be created for those workers to attend public activities. Then social connections will be cemented.Keywords: migrant workers; social integration; public spaces.

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