Professionals’ perceptions for designing vibrant public spaces: Theory and praxis

Abstract

Public spaces are central to the wellbeing of city residents, but what exactly are the design principles that ensure the vitality of public space? How do professionals rank these principles? Do they share a common understanding of theory and praxis? Using a mixed research methodology, we attempt to answer these questions. We first identified eight design principles by reviewing 31 documents listed on ScienceDirect. The review suggested four core design principles and four cross-cutting design principles. Fulfilling all eight principles is challenging; therefore, we prepared a questionnaire distributed among design professionals to determine their priorities using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). We corroborated the results with interviews. Participants disagree on the rank of the eight principles. However, the four core principles topped the list because they align with the pillars of sustainable development. Possible reasons for the inconsistency include specialization, gender, and years of experience. The inability to differentiate between the theory of and theory in planning is another possible explanation. The AHP is a reliable decision-making tool and might foster citizen participation in developing design plans. Future research agenda must address limitations of the present inquiry, such as linkages between governance and the institutional setting of society on the one hand and its public spaces on the other.

Keywords

• Analytical hierarchy process
• Environment
• Safety
• Social interaction
• Urban design