ManueldeSol aMo Mor al es Publ i candc ol l ec t i v es pac e Theur bani z at i onoft he pr i v a t ed omai na sane wc ha l l e nge Si nc et hel at eni net eent hc ent ur y ,t hedi s t i nc t i onbet ween p ub l i cs pa c ea ndp r i v a t es p ac eh asbe enama j o rt h emei nWe s t e r n t hi nkur ban.Theoni ont br ei di ngs pl annen,t heex pr opr i at i onl aws t hemet r opol i t anpar k sandmaj orc i v i l wor k soft het i j dhi sfine ex ampl esofdi tdi s t i nc t i on.I twasdes i r ed,t hi sdi s t i nc t i ont o ampl i f yl ongasi tmak esi tbec amepos s i bl et ot hepubl i cdomai nmor ei mpor t antt hant hepr i v at epr oper t y-t oi nc r eas eandi mpr ov e. Thi sappr ec i at i onofpubl i cs pac eswasr oot edi nt he Ut opi ant hi nk i ngoft hel as tc ent ur y ,wher et hei deal model bal anc edc i t y( asat ar get )andt hef or mat i onofadev i c egemeent el i j k ( Asat ool )t hei deol ogi c al pi l l ar swer eofev er ypr ogr es si v e c i t ypol i t i c s . T odef endt hi sdayandoffic i al si nv ol v ed t ec hni c i anspubl i cgr een,r es er v at i onsandi nf r as t r uc t ur e f ac i l i t i esandopenur bans pac east hepr i nc i pal ur banpl anner goal .Andmai nt ai ni tpol i c iandbewoner s or gani s ati es ,ac cor di ngt o t hes amei dea,t her equi r ementof" publ i cs quar emet er "ast hebes twa y t omak et hec i t ymo mor eav ai l abl et oi t sst at er es i dent s . Si nc ebel angr i j k et heor i esaboutt hec i t yi nt hes ev ent i es dev el opedt hedi s t i nc t i onbet weenpubl i candpr i v at es pac eal ong t womai nl i nes .Thefi r s t ,bas edont hes t udi esofmonogr a v ei c c i t i es ,gr abbedt hev al ueoft hes t r i c tbui l di ngl i neagai nwhent hei ns t r ument t ot hemai nt y pol ogi c al el ement soft heur banbr andi j k es hape defi ne( s t r eet s ,par k s,ex pans i onar eas ,c ent er s ) .Thi sappr oac h uni t edwi t ht hes ec ondone,oni ont gaandt hef arnotmour ni nt he ' Ar c hi t ec t ur eoft hec i t y ," s t ar r i ngt hegr eatar c hi t ect ur al obj ec t shi ghl i ght edi nt hes ymbol i cfi v ei gur atdefi net hec i t y andhermemo mor y . Thet hi r d,per hapsmo mos tt r i v i al appr oac ht ot hec onc eptoft he publ i car ea( andt her ebyac cept i ngt hemos ts i mpl e)i nor derf ort he p ub l i cs p ac ede s i g na sas y s t e m: m:a sas e qu en c eo fo pe n ar east husf or mi ngauni f or m awhol e.Ast hesy s t em ofpar k s Ol ms t edi nBos t on,Henar dwei ghi ngsy s t em i nPar i sort he Thi sar t i c l ewaspubl i s hedi nMar c h1992i nt hec ul t ur al s uppl ementoft he newspaperLaVanguar di a. s c hool s y s t em oft heEngl i s hpos t war' nei ghbor hoodpl anni ng.
I ti st hel at t erappr oac hwhi c hi si nc l udedi nt hes oc al l ed ' Gener al s y st em' ofourur banpl anni ngr egul at i ons ,dev el oped hasbec omeoneoft hemos tr i gi dandr i gi dc onc ept sofpubl i c space. Theot herappr oac hes-whi c hoft hev al ueoft hec i t yasanar c hi t ec t ur al andt hos eoft heur banf abr i casades i gnt as k-l edt ot he " Dr a wnu r ba ni s m"an d" ur ba nt o wnpl a nn i ng' asme t hod ol o gi c al hy pot hes est hef unc ti onal i s ts ymbol i cabs t r ac t i onoft hes t ai nand z o ni n gh adt oo v e r c o mea nda ga i nd ema nd edt h ea t t e nt i o n f ort hes hapeoft hec i t yasas pec i fi cs pat i al s t r uc t ur e.The Cat al anur bani z at i oni nt hebegi nni ngoft heei ght i es ,f or mst hes ampl e pare x cel l enc eoft hi sappr oac h. Man yoft hebe t t erc ur r entur banpr ogr amsar er oot ed i nt hi st heor et i c al ' ac c el er at i on' i nt hes ev ent i est ot hec i t y andc her i s hedf oc al poi ntwast heur ban, pol i t i c al ands oc i ol ogi c al at t ent i on. I nr ec enty ear s ,t her emar k abl eac hi ev ementofpubl i c s pac esandpubl i cbui l di ngsi ns ev er al Eur opeanc i t i es-t hes e Pr i nc i pl esr emot epar tnex t ,par t l yf or get t i ng-s omebr i l l i ant wi ndowsyi el dedf ul l aes t het i cc ons umergood.Pi c t ur es ar ec ompe t i t i v ei nt hemas sbutnour ban pr o v i d ear gu me nt ss en seoft hel o ngt er m. I nBar c el ona,af t ert hei ns t al l at i onofademoc r at i cgov er nment ,was ' Es cape' t ot hepubl i cs pac es pec t ac ul ar .I ts eemedl i k eev er y t hi ng t ur nedar oundt oconquert hepubl i cs pac eandcel ebr at e.Thehar dsquar es appear ed,andt hel es shar d.Eac hfi l l i ngt hatgapbet weent hebui l di ngs r emai nedopen.Bet ween1978and1982t he ypai dt hei rf ul l ener gyi nt oi t ex pl oi t i ngt hes ehol esandhol esf oranewf ac et ot hec i t y gi v e( adi ffer ents t y l eandadi ffer entl ogi c )andt her ei sonenot ewor t hy s u c c es s f u l l yma na ge d. No ts omu chb ec a us et hed es i g nswer ea l wa y sequ al l ys uc c es s f u l ,b utr at her be ca us es ee i ngc ha ngi ngt heur ba nl an ds c apef r om i t sv oi ds an y wa yi twa sane wa ndi n no v at i v ee x per i e nc e.Bar c el on ad i dno t ev er y oner ec ogni z et hat ,butout s i det her ewasuni v er s al l yac c l ai med. Af t er1982appear edt hepar k s .As t r eam ofl ar gepubl i cs pac es c oul dbeaddedt ot hec i t ybyt hedi s mant l ei nges t at es ori ndus t r i al ar eas .Thes i z eandl oc at i onoft hepar k swer ef r eewi l l r andom;l i k et hes quar est he yappear edwher ev eri twaspos s i bl e. Namel ywher et hec ongr egat i onc oul di nt er v ener el at i v el ysi mpl e;t hr ougha al r eadyst ar t edr ehabi l i t at i oni nt er v ent i ont obend( l aMer c e,Rav al ) ,on
abandonedi ndus t r i al s i t es( Es pany aI ndus t r i al ,Pegas o)onal r eadypubl i c butunus edpl ac es( Sant sEx c or x ador ,Mol l del aFus t a)or s i mpl ybyr edes i gni ngpubl i csquar es( Pl az aRei al ,pl az as deGr ac i a) .Al t houghi twoul dt ak et os ear c hf ors pat i al c ons i s t enc yoft hes epr oc edur esi twi l l beappr ec i at edt hatt heoc cas i on mai nc r i t er i onwast hec hoi c eofl oc at i on.Theoppor t uni t yf ora muni c i pal s ys t em t oac t-onl andt hati snotpr i v at el y hands-soast ot heamountofspaceswhosemanagement , pr oper t yanddes i gnenabl edi nc r eas eoft hec hur c hand i mpr ov e.I mageandpr oper t yoft hec i t yi dent i fi edt hems el v e smor eand mor ewi t heac hot her ,i ns uc hawayt hati tBar c el onaoft hes ey ear s h ass ho wnh ow' mo de r n 'b yac i v i l s e r v i c ema dec a n b ea ndh ow,a sac o ns e qu en c e,i nu r b anp ub l i c s p ac e sas t r o ngi ma gean de v e nc a ng i v eal e ad . Bu ti two ul dbed an ge r o usi fwewo ul don l yma k eu swo r r ya bo ut t hes hapeoft hec i t ywher et hatc i t ymanagementi soft hemuni c i pal dev i c e.I nt hel as tf ewy ear shav el i t t l emeani ngf ul andr obus t de v el opment si nt hepr i v at edomai nwhi c hoc c ur r edi nno v at i v e t her ema yb eme nt i on ed( f ore x ampl ei nt hefi el dofho us i ngo r offic es ) .Andr i ghtwoul dal wa y s,i naddi t i ont ot hes uper bv al ueandfl awl es s mer i tofenr i c hi ngt hec i t ywi t hboul ev ar ds ,par k s, s quar es ,r i ngr oads ,s t adi ums ,mus eumsa ndt heat er s ,awi deni ngspec t r um o ft h ec o mmo nt o wnc anbepr o du c edwh i c hc on t r i b ut e s t hehy per t r ophyoft hepubl i cspac ei t s el f . Thei mpor t anc eofpubl i cs pac el i esnoti nt hedegr eeofv as t nes s , t hequant i t at i v es uper i or i t yoft hes ymbol i cl eadi t ,but t hec on nec t i o nsbe t we ent he mi npr i v a t e,c onfi n eds pac e s, whi c har eal s oar easwhi c hmadec ol l ec t i v eher i t age.Anur ban, gi v epubl i cchar ac t eroft hos ebui l di ngst hatot her wi s eonl y woul dbedec i ded-t heur bani z at i onoft hepr i v at edomai n-t hat ' si t c onc ept .Thati s ,t hepr i v at er ec or di nt hes pher eofi nfl uenc e t hepubl i c . T ak ef ore x ampl et heol dt o wn.Thebr eak t hr oughsi nt heRa v al ar e l ar gel yt hel egac yofapl anni ngwi t hal onghi s t or y .The Mos twasbui l tonl andt hatwasav ai l abl ef orpubl i c s ur ger i es .I not herpar t soft hedi s t r i c t ' sopens pac esar edefi nedby t hel o tboundar i esofdemol i s hedhous esorbl oc k s ,no t hi ngmor e.Ther e wher enewbui l di nghasappear ed,t hecont r adi c t i on c l earofmoder nc ons t r uc t i ont ec hni quesi nt heol dt i s sue t r y i ngt ofi ti n,andt hemi ddl ec l as smoder nhomespr o v e-
par adox i c al l y-bombas t i candl i t t l ef unc t i onal . Theo per at i o nsc ons i s tl ar gel yofne w ho mes ,s quar e sa nd par k i ngbas ement s ,andt hi ss i mpl i c i t yi sper hapst hec aus eoft hes c hemat i c har dnes soft her es ul t .Thes hapeoft hes pac ei nt heol dt own s houl dr ef ert ot hedi s c us si onoft hes oc i al obj ec t i v eoft he c hangesi nt hi sar eaandt hust hepot ent i al f or pr ogr am. Pe r h apst he ys ho ul dha v eb ee nf o rt h er oo msi nt heol dt o wn s ear c hf oranewt y pol ogi c al f or mf orpens i ons ,mor eh ygi eni c bar sandni ght c l ubsandj oi nts hel t erf orar t i s ansandmer c hant s , t hent omi ddl ec l as shomesornewuni v er s i t yl i br ar i es . Andanumberofe xi s t i ng,al r eadyf r equent l yt r ans f or med f r agment si nt hec ur r ents t r uc t ur ec oul dpr ov i des ol ut i ons t ai l or edmuc hmor ear eont hewayofl i f ei nt hatar eat hant he gr eatempt i nes st hatr es ul t sf r om t heCent r al Eur opean' s' s ani t ar y 'pl anni ng. Theoper at i onatt hi si mpr es s i v es uppos edr ev i t al i z at i ons eems wi l l t her ef or enott ak epl ac e.Thepubl i casal abel of s quar es ,hous esandgar agesdi dnotdi r ec t l yr equi r edc ont r i but i on del i v er edt ot hec ol l ec t i v eappr opr i at i onoft hi sbyt het owns peopl e, whi c honewant edt oi dent i f y . I t ' snott hatt hepr oj ec t sr eal i z edi nt heol dc i t ynotgood woul dbe,butf oras oc ompl i c at edt het as kex c l us i v el yi s ' Publ i c ' c har ac t er i s t i cenough:t hehy per t r ophyoft he" offic i al c i t y' negl ec t scer t ai nf or msofc ol l ec t i v el i f eandc anev en Ma k ed i s a pp ea r .Th ec o l l e c t i v es pa c ei smu c hmo r ea ndmu c hl e s st h ant h e publ i cspac easwes eei tl i mi t edt opubl i cowner s hi p.The c i v i l ,ar c hi t ec t ur al ,ur bani s t i candmor phol ogi c al weal t h ac i t yi st hatofc ol l ec t i v es pac es ,ofal l t hepl ac eswher et he ev er y dayl i f et ak espl ac e,andpr es ent si t s el fasas ouv eni rpr es ent i s .Andper hapst hati si nc r eas i ngl yspac est hatar enotpubl i corpr i v at e, butbot hatt hes amet i me:publ i cs pac esf orpr i v at eac t i v i t i es us edors pac est hatal l owac ol l ec t i v eus e.I s 'el Cor t eI ngl es" ,t hebi gdepar t ments t or eonPl az aCat al un y a,apubl i cor apr i v at edomai n?Ec onomi c al l y ,i ti sc l ear l yapr i v at e mat t er ,buti tdoesnotappl yt ot heus eandmeani ng hasf ort hec i t y .I ti snoc oi nc i denc et hatdi s cus s i ont her ef orfi vey ear s o v ert h ewal l r e ne w.Andt h ec hur c ho fSa nt aMa r i ad el Mar Publ i corpr i v at e?Andt heBar c el onaf oot bal l s t adi um? Pu bl i candp r i v a t ewat erdo wnt h ec at e gor i e sa ndn ol o ng ers u ffic e. Ev e ns o meou t s t a nd i n gp ub l i cp l a c ess u c ha st h ePl a z aSa ntJ a umeor
Rambl af ul l ydi s c l os edbec aus eoft hei rs i gni fi c anc eando wner s hi p, c hangei nc ol l ec t i v es pac est hr ought hef r eepi l l agi ngby s ev er al pr i v at eac t i v i t i es .I nBar c el ona,manyex ampl es Fi ndi ngs uc hmi x i ngar easwi t has i gni fi c antc ol l ec t i v emeani ng. TheBoqu er i amar k e ti spe r h apst h emo s ts t r i k i nge x ampl e : ap l a c ewh er et h ep ub l i co wn er s h i pa ndma na ge me nte ffo r t l e s s l yc omb i n e wi t hpr i v at ei ni t i at i v esandac t i v i t i esofus er s ,or no ws el l er sar ewhe t heral l t h os epeo pl ewhowor kont h ec o mpl ement a r y ac t i v i t i est hatgener at et hemar k eti ni t si mmedi at ev i c i ni t y .Ort ak et henow di s appear edr es t aur ant sont hebeac hofBar c el onet a.Butt hebar ont hec or ner ,t hes c hool ,t henews paperk i os kormet r os t opas pat i al s ys t em wi t hdi ffer entr i ght sandobl i gat i ons ,whi c haspubl i cbut Al s oc ol l ec t i v es y st em det er mi nest hemai nl i nesal ongwhi c ht heur banl i f e unf ol ds .I tal s opl ayani mpor t ants t r i c t l ypubl i car eas r ol e,al t houghonl ypar t i al l y ,andper hapsev enl es swi t ht heday n e c e s s a r y . Ama l l o rapa s t u r es ho p,a na mu s eme ntp ar ko ra s t adi um,al ar gepar k i ngl otoras hoppi ngar c adear et het el l t al e s pot si nev er y dayl i f e,t hec ol l ec t i v es pac esofourt i me. Andes pec i al l ypubl i ct r ans por ti nmaj orc i t i esi sac ommon r ef er enc epoi nt .Bec aus eoft hef r equenc yande xt entoft hemas s i v eus e, bec aus eoft hev ar i et yofpubl i candps y c hol ogi c al wei ghtas meani ngbear erofmet r opol i t anl i f e.Thel at es tfi l m byEr i c Rohmer-Cont ed' hi v er-s howst hi swel l .Thi si nc ont r as tt ot hel i ng o bj e c t b as e dap pr o ac ht our b ans p ac eb yWi m We nd er s . Hot el s ,r es t aur ant s ,week endandt our i s tc ent er s ,per i pher al di s cot heques ; i ti st hes eundefi neds pac eswher et hepubl i cf or m oft he Ci t ydepl oy i ngt hegame.Theper i pher yi spar ado xi c al l yt heac t ual c ent eroft hel i f eoft hec i t yandwi l l bef or med b ep as s e dt h r o ug ht h es p ac e swh i c hha v eame an i n ga spl a c e sof s oc i et ywi t houtt her het or i coff or mal r epr es ent at i on. Whenwor k i ngont hene w ur banr et i r ement si st het as koft heur bani s t s t omak eani nt er medi at eoft hes es pac es .Nei t her publ i cnorpr i v at ebutt heoppos i t e;ar easwhi c har enots t er i l e anddel i v er edt ot hepubl i c i t ybutf or m as t i mul at i ngpar t t hemul t i f or m ur banf abr i c .Andi ti si mpor t antt ot heKey nes i an ' Wel f ar ec i t y '-ori not herwor dst hes ubs i di z edur bani t y-mov e mor er i s ky ,l es sobv i ousandmor ei nt er es t i ng ar eas .I fnot ,wer i s kj ammi ngi nt hec at egor i esof bar oqueur bans pac e,al bei tadapt edt ot hel at es ti ns t y l eandf as hi on
mat er i al . Rec ogni z i ngt hi spr obl em i se xt r emel yi mpor t antf ort heur ban d es i g na ndo pe nsan ewfi e l do fr e s ea r c hb ydi ff er e nt s c al esbac kr unni ng.Atpr es entwei gnor et hec l as s i c e xpl anat i onofpubl i cs pac easanex pr es s i onoft heagr eed v al ueswi t hi nac ompan y ,andt hust hec ondi t i onoft hepubl i c asaf or m parex cel l enc eoft hes oc i al .Thef ac ti s ,bycont r as t ,t hatt hec i t y e x ac t l yt h epl ac ewhe r et hepr i v a t edo mai nc anb eas oc i al do mai nan d i sof t ent oo;asmuc h,ormor es o,t hant hepubl i c .The' good' c i t y Ther ef or e,t hec i t ywher et hepr i v at ebui l di ngsandpubl i cel ement s r adi at eas oc i al meani ngandv al uet hatgobe y ondt he bui l di ngi t s el fandi nwhi c ht hei rur banc har ac t erl i es .Ther es i dent i al pal ac es ont h ePas e od eGr ac i ao rt hes ho psonCal l eFe r r ani t sur ban p he no me nawh i c hh av emu c hmo r es i g ni fi c a nc et h ant h ato ft h ep r i v a t e owner s hi p.I nt hi smanner ,t hec i t yi sbui l tupbot hi ngoodhous es , goodshopsandgoodbar sandf r om boul ev ar dsandmonument s r epr es ent at i v ebui l di ngs .Thegr eatc i t yi st hec i t yt hatmanagesa pr ov i depubl i cval uet ot hepr i v at edomai n.I naddi t i on,i st hequal i t yof t hei ndi v i dual ac ondi t i onf ori t scont r i but i ont ot hec ol l ec t i v e. I si tnott r uet hatt hebar soft heni ghtBar c el onaoneoft hemos t i nt e r es t i n gu r banphen omen aoff o r mi nr ec enty e ar s ?Wh y ? Bec aus eoft hei rpr i v at enat ur ei snots epar at ef r om t heat t ent i on c ol l ec t i v ev al uesandi nt er es t s . Thec ol l ec t i v es pac esc ons t i t ut et heweal t hofhi s t or i ct ownsand ar ec er t ai nl yt hemai ns t r uc t ur ef ort hef ut ur ei s ht own. Per hapsi ti st r uet hatt heundefi neds pac esi nourc i t i es i nc r eas i ngl ysi gni fi er sofev er y dayl i f ei ndi ffer ent me t h od sma ybeu s ed ,a ndap pr o pr i a t e db yt h ed i ff er e nt ur ban" t r i bes " .Per hapsi ti st r uet hatt hes hapeoft he' pl ac el es s' c i t y ,ov erwhi c hFr eder i cJames onwr i t es ,al os soft hec opubl i cs pac eandpr i v at eaut hor i t yc har ac t er i z esourenv i r onment . Theysayt hatgi v est he' c yber punk ' l i t er at ur ebeaut i f ul des c r i pt i ons t hi smoder nc ondi t i onwher et hedi s t i nc t i onbet weenpubl i candpr i v at e f adesbyabol i s hi ngt hedi ff er enc est hatwer ec onduc t ed. I ti ssai dt hatt hes edi ffer enc esar eabol i s hedi nBl adeRunner .Andal s o Umb er t oEc ol e f tt h em b eh i n dwh enhewr o t eoft h en ewme di e v a l c har ac t eroft hec ur r entt er r i t or y . I tt her ef or es eemsas i gni fi cantt heor et i c al mi s t ak et o publ i cur bans pac est oc onc ei v eonl yasav enuef ora ar c hi t ec t ur ewi t houtc ont entordes i gnobj ec t s ,andwi t hac ons i s t enc yt hat
doesnotex t endbey ondt heobj ec ti t s el f .Al sur banbeaut i fi cat i on' has undoubt edl ycont r i but edt ot her ec ogni t i onoft hei mpor t anc eofaes t het i c c i t yoper at i ons .Butf oramas t erpl anwi t hmor eambi t i on s at i s fi esnei t hert heneot y pol ogi s meal aDur and,whoaspubl i cwor k s c ons i der scl as si f yst r uc t ur esnort heneopi c t ur es queal aSi t t e,whi c h t hel eadi ngr ol eoft hepubl i car east ot hear c hi t ec t oni cc ont ex t s hi f t s( mos t' moder n' ur bandes i gnpr ogr amsoft hemai n Eur opeanc i t i esar ec hi l dr enoft hes ev i ews ) .The ydeny t hec ompl e xnat ur eoft hec ol l ec t i v eur bans pac eandl i mi twhat a na r e ao fe x pe r i e nc e ss ho ul dbeupt oas p ac ede fi ne db y pr ej udi c es . Tr ans l at i on:El sBet
