Theory and Practice of Public Space

The course fosters reflection on the three spheres – material, social and political – that compose public space. In discussing the principal theories of the subject, it will seek to show that only the combination of these different spheres can fulfil the significance of public space in its democratic embodiment (although historically variable and inherently conflictual). The lectures will then offer numerous examples of ways in which contemporary public space is passing through a phase of profound renewal, rich in stimuli and challenges.