The Movement of Public Space

Public squares and spaces have traditionally been the fixed and clearly defined physical location of public activity. In contemporary situations however, changes have occurred that are specifically linked to a greater prevalence of mobility: ‘The Mobilities Turn’. Modes, frequencies, velocities and quantities of movement in urban areas and urban lives have increased substantially and the fixed nature and clear definition of public space, the publics it ‘contains’ and the functions it performs have been profoundly changed by this. This chapter explores these changes and how they have affected the design and the experience of public space.