7. Public Space Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Public space is a critical area of urban environmental and political discussion.

• Urban geography significantly shapes career paths and research focuses.

Personal Experience: Policing of Young People in Public Space

• In the 1990s, work as a youth worker involved addressing the excessive policing of young people in public spaces, particularly those from ethnic minority and Indigenous First Nations backgrounds.

• Issues frequently involved state police officers and the private security industry, reflecting complex power dynamics.

• Peer research was conducted to gather first-hand accounts of young people being stopped, frisked, and harassed, providing an empirical basis for advocacy.

• The research report led to a conference designed to foster dialogue between senior police officers and young people, aiming to resolve frustrations and develop mutual understanding and solutions.

Bankstown Mall Incident

• A Channel Seven interview at Bankstown Mall captured interactions between police and young people in public spaces, highlighting both positive and negative encounters.

• Police intervention during the interview, resulting in the arrest of a young person for offensive language, illustrated the tensions present in these interactions.

• The incident highlighted a pattern where arrests in public spaces often stemmed from interactions and reactions to police authority, rather than substantive offenses.

• A criminal lawyer offered pro bono representation, broadening the discussion to include legal and civil rights dimensions of policing practices.

Broader Implications and Personal Motivation

• The Bankstown Mall incident underscored deep-seated frustrations related to unaccountable authority and undemocratic power within public spaces.

• Experiences led to a broader understanding of how exclusion from public spaces disproportionately affects various groups, including ethnic minorities, women facing sexist violence, and disabled individuals lacking accessibility.

• These insights motivated further academic inquiry, leading to a PhD focused on the socio-political dynamics of public space in cities.

• The lecture is structured to explore the ecological and socio-ecological dimensions of public space through a political ecology lens, providing a comprehensive analysis.

Lecture Plan

• The lecture plan includes:

  • Defining public space and its significance in urban life.

  • Exploring environmental justice and political ecology perspectives on the distribution and use of public space.

  • Examining case studies like Sydney Park, Collaroy seawalls, and pedestrianization in Barcelona to illustrate key concepts.

Defining Public Space

• Defining public space is inherently complex, involving considerations of ownership, access, and function.

• The question of whether a shopping mall constitutes a public space is multifaceted due to its hybrid nature.

• Shopping malls blend public and private characteristics, complicating their classification.

Function and Usage

• Differing functions, such as primary commercial purposes versus secondary community uses, influence the perception and usage of public space.

• The presence of strangers is often seen as a hallmark of publicness, indicating openness and inclusivity.

• Private ownership introduces control over access and behavior, shaping the public experience.

Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS)

• Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) are recognized in academic literature, acknowledging the increasing prevalence of privately owned spaces that fulfill public functions.

• Owners of shopping malls may enforce specific rules, such as restricting loitering, which impacts the public's use of the space.

Contradictions and Tensions

• Shopping malls exhibit contradictions by functioning as public spaces for socializing while being governed by private rules and ownership.

Hong Kong Protests Example

• During the Hong Kong protests, shopping malls became significant sites of political action, with owners sometimes challenging police intervention.

• This example highlights the inherent tensions between public rights and private control in these hybrid spaces.

Publicness Dimensions

• Publicness is a multifaceted concept with diverse meanings across different contexts.

  • Ownership can be either public (state-owned) or private (non-state-owned), influencing governance and control.

  • Access determines who is allowed to enter and use the space, affecting inclusivity.

  • Norms and expectations of behavior define what is considered acceptable conduct in public settings.

  • Public interest extends to private spaces when issues like domestic violence are involved, necessitating public intervention.

• These dimensions operate within complex geographies and are subject to normative debates about their application and interpretation.

Public Schools as Public Spaces

• Public schools, although state-owned, often have restricted access after hours, highlighting the state's role as a property owner.

• Government initiatives like the "Share Our Space" program aim to increase public access to school playgrounds during holidays, promoting community use.

Feminist Perspective on Private Space

• Feminist perspectives advocate for public interest in private spaces to address issues such as domestic violence, challenging traditional notions of privacy.

• Public conversations and interventions are deemed necessary to ensure safety and well-being within private settings.

• Participation in the public sphere can occur from private spaces through platforms like social media, blurring the lines between public and private engagement.

Shopping Malls Revisited

• The interplay between public and private interests creates ongoing tensions in spaces like shopping malls.

• Mall owners often receive planning concessions for providing public space amenities but are expected to meet certain public benefit requirements.

• The presence of government services in malls raises questions about equitable accessibility for all members of the community.

• Debates arise over whether malls should prioritize community development or primarily focus on consumerism.

• Providing public access to seating and amenities is essential for making malls more inclusive and community-oriented.

Focus on Accessibility and Co-presence

• Emphasis is placed on creating spaces where people can interact with strangers and connect to broader networks of public spaces.

• Accessibility is a primary dimension of publicness, particularly as it relates to property ownership and usage rights.

Importance of Public Space

• Public spaces serve as vital sites for political expression and civic engagement.

• They offer mental health benefits through social interaction and community participation.

• Physical health is promoted through opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities.

• Public spaces function as networks and corridors for biodiversity, supporting ecological balance.

• They are essential locations for cultural celebration, artistic expression, and social exchange.

• Public spaces provide areas for sociability, recreation, and relaxation, enriching urban life.

Hot Topics in Public Space

• Key issues in public space include:

  • Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) and the broader trend of privatization.

  • The blurring of boundaries between public and private domains.

  • Commodification and commercialization of public spaces.

  • Specific regulations that restrict activities like leafleting and protesting.

  • Fortification and securitization measures, such as gated communities and hostile architecture.

  • The increasing use of digital surveillance in public spaces like shopping malls.

Contentiousness Around Public Space in Sydney

• Sydney faces numerous challenges related to public space, including:

  • Debates over advertising placement on iconic landmarks like the Opera House.

  • Ecological concerns, such as the closure of spaces due to asbestos-contaminated mulch.

  • Restrictions on protests during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Controversial proposals to open private bars on public beaches.

  • The closure of public spaces for commercial festivals.

  • Debates over requiring permits for activities like beach meditations.

Environmental Justice Perspective

• Environmental justice highlights the importance of equitable distribution of and access to public space.

• Ensuring universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces by 2030 is outlined in UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.7

The indicators of progress includes:

• GIS mapping of public spaces to assess their distribution within the city.

The indicators of progress includes the share of:

• Built-up areas designated as open public space, analyzed for equitable distribution.

• Monitoring the proportion of people who experience physical or sexual harassment in public spaces.

Equitable access to public space incorporates the importance of:

• Distribution: Ensuring fair allocation of public spaces across different communities.

• Recognition: Acknowledging and valuing the diverse needs and uses of public space by different groups.

• Perceptions: Understanding how different populations perceive and experience public space.

• Materiality: Addressing the physical characteristics and design of public spaces to promote inclusivity and accessibility.

Political Ecology Perspective

• Political ecology examines public spaces as "remade natures," shaped by the transformation of natural environments.

• It considers the land relations, labor relations, and resources involved in the creation and maintenance of these spaces.

• Relevant scholarship includes Matthew Gandhi's work on the metabolic perspective of cities and urbanization, as well as the book Concrete and Clay about Central Park.

• Analysis includes the labor involved in public space maintenance and its reorganization over time.

• Considerations for settler colonial contexts include exploring what land back initiatives would entail in urban public spaces.

Case Study: Sydney Park

• Sydney Park is located at the intersection of King Street and Euston Road, serving the densely populated neighborhoods of Newtown, St. Peter’s, and Alexandria.

• It is a vital public space that includes playgrounds, heritage sites, stormwater treatment facilities, wetlands, walking paths, and cricket ovals.

Pre-Invasion

• Before European colonization, the area was a kangaroo and hunting ground for the Gadigal and Wurongal people.

• It served as a fishing and camping site characterized by grasslands, turpentine trees, and ironbark trees.

Geological Context

• The park is part of the Wianamata Shale Belt, which features Ashfield Shale, a material excellent for brick-making.

• The geological formation dates back approximately 240 million years.

Colonial Era

• In 1796, a land grant was awarded to Elizabeth Needham, a convict on the First Fleet, establishing European claims.

• Land grants were used as a tool for settler colonial expansion, displacing Indigenous populations.

• The Needham Farm grant is documented on Petersham Parish maps.

Industrialization

• From the early 1800s, Needham leased land for brick, pottery, and tile works, leveraging the area's rich clay deposits.

• Ashfield Shale was extensively mined for clay extraction.

• The local creek was repurposed as a waste treatment facility for industrial waste disposal.

Mid-20th Century

• The area was transformed into informal dumping grounds as holes were filled with waste materials.

The Eighties and Nineties

• The site became a hub for urban exploration, hosting music videos, raves, graffiti art, dog walking, drug selling, and other activities.

Early 2000’s

• Housing construction and residential apartment developments began in the area.

• The location became an intersection of housing construction and ongoing manufacturing.

Today

• Reflecting its diverse history, the location is shaped by music videos, raves, graffiti, dog walking, and drug selling.

• It serves as a home for the homeless and a site for recreational activities.

• The park functions as a habitat, memorial, and popular dog run, among other uses.

Case Study: Collaroy Narabeen Seawalls

• Climate change issues and property issues intersect significantly in this coastal area.

• Potential storm events exacerbate existing climate-related challenges.

• Property damage and storm-related hazards are major concerns.

Issues

• The embedded constructs of property ownership are fundamentally incompatible with the dynamic nature of coastlines.

  • Coastlines naturally shift and move, adapting to environmental changes.

  • Property lines are typically fixed and immovable, creating conflicts with coastal dynamics.

Background

• The first colonial property lines were established in the late 1800s, initiating a history of coastal development.

• Storms have caused significant damage over the years, highlighting the vulnerability of the area.

• The initial coastal walls were proposed in 2002 to mitigate storm impacts.

• A substantial 7.5-meter-high wall was constructed at a cost of $25 million.

Private Properties Issues

• Located in New South Wales.

• The presence of private property contributes to the hazard risk, complicating coastal management strategies.

Case Study: Superblocks, Barcelona

• Pedestrianization initiatives aim to replace car traffic with pedestrian-friendly spaces.

• Implementation has occurred gradually over three decades, transforming urban mobility.

Issues

• Reduction of space for cars involves reallocating road space to pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

• Networks are designed to prioritize arterial spaces, enhancing connectivity for non-vehicular modes.

Benefits

• Environmental benefits include reduced air pollution and noise levels.

• Social benefits encompass increased community interaction and enhanced public space.

• Mobility is improved through better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

Superblocks

• The Superblocks concept has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to urban design.

• It creates environments that encourage tactile and visual engagement with the surroundings.

• Local businesses have experienced increased patronage due to enhanced pedestrian access.

Lessons

• The success of Superblocks is attributed to decades of planning and advocacy by city government officials and community activists.

• The election of a radical mayor, Ada Colau, in 2015, reflected a surge in city activism and support for progressive urban policies.

• The long-term legacy of Superblocks is yet to be fully realized but holds significant potential for sustainable urban development.