Our City?

It’s no secret that cities are booming. They continue to attract the world’s top talent, stimulate the economy, act as hubs of innovation, and remain the cultural melting pots of all nations. Yet, we must ask the question, do the inhabitants of our ever-popular cities really feel at home in them? Furthermore, are the public places within a city really even, ours?

How can we ensure that public spaces truly represent and serve the people who live near them and use them? In this book we feature a range of cases that explore how exclusion in public space is being countered across Europe. We present research insights, local stories, tools, and actions, from a variety of dierent voices, to provide you with a clear understanding of what is needed to maintain a sense of belonging in our cities’ public places. We also show how actively working with the local community, from engagement through to design, can change the way urban spaces are created and activated, particularly by reaching out to and encouraging participation from those voices that often go unheard.