From streets and squares to parcs and playgrounds; these spaces promise to provide the context for public life to unfold. While they are often summarized as ‘public spaces’ in theory, more diverse, complex realities take place in practice. From design and access to control, investment and ownership; this dialogue critically explores the elements that impact the meanings, uses, interactions, and levels of comfort, interaction and inclusion/exclusion of individuals and communities in these spaces. Exploring this layered reality of public space we ask ourselves; what makes public spaces public? Building on comparative examples from the United States and Belgium, Kelly Gregg (University at Buffalo) helps us to collectively redefine and reimagine the ‘publicness’ of public space.

Make The City

The city is not just 'conceived' at the drawing board, but 'made' in different ways, by increasingly diverse players. In this series, 'thinkers' and 'doers' enter into a dialogue with each other and the audience on pressing urban issues . In these ways, we discover new ways to rethink and remake the city. The series is organised by Stadsform in collaboration with the Antwerp Urban Studies Institute.