Public space #1: what is it?
Goal: Understand what a public space is.
Street Works operates in public space as a design principle. And we want to help others do the same.
In its ideal form, a public space is collectively owned, and democratically governed. But for the purposes of the Street Works blueprint, a public space is a place that all people are welcome during specified hours, owned and managed by local or federal government, and sustained with taxpayer dollars. It can also be a place without clear ownership.
Public spaces typically include certain parks/green patches, plazas, streets, sidewalks, playgrounds, libraries, edge spaces between buildings or roadsides, and cemeteries. It can be indoors or outdoors.
Who owns public spaces?
Public spaces are usually owned by federal or local governments, or private actors who intentionally operate with democratic governance models.
What drives Street Works’ definition of public space?
It prioritizes democratic governance. For us, public spaces are typically owned by government, because they can, in theory, be shaped by taxpayer input. But they can also include privately owned spaces that demonstrably intend to operate in a democratic way. This is rare.
What about public /private partnerships?
Our guiding consideration is the extent to which it operates in a democratic way. For example:
We don't consider POPS, “privately owned public space” public spaces simply because they are open to the public (in exchange for a significant government incentive). POPs are not in government permit systems, and no community governance model has been documented for any of them.
We do generally consider subways as important for public spaces consideration, even though are not open to all (most pay to get in). We do this because programs like Fair Fares and the Complimentary Subway Transportation Program are taxpayer funded to reduce costs. Also, artists can perform without a permit in the subway as long as you follow the Transit Rules of Conduct. Read this article to understand why the legal regulations are important to understand and have been misunderstood.
Why does Street Works focus on public spaces?
Without permits, we gather in public spaces for celebrations and information sharing all the time. We can also reserve space in many of them for arts experiences and more, in a city where space for the arts is scarce.
Where can I find a list of public spaces?
There isn't one. Instead, you can look by the specific type of public space. Visit the city's capital planning tool and filter by “operator” to see a list of public parks & plazas alongside POPs.
