Sarah Ichioka comments the Islamic Cemetery

Islamic Cemetery. Altach (Austria), 2012 Special Mention 2014 Prize by Sarah Mineko Ichioka (Director AF, London)

"Practising the politics of difference in a shared space enriches coexistence"

• Tim Ingold

Tim Ingold argues in favour of physical presence in personal contacts at a time when our communication is increasingly indirect and through digital means.

“Public space is one of the few places for being in contact with people outside our social bubble.”

• Michelle Provoost

The Architecture Historian and director of the New Town International Institute believes  public space is essential to recognize the diversity of society.  

“Public space is the celebration of diversity”

• Nigel Thrift

Nigel Thrift, professor of Human Geography, spoke with Suzanne Hall about Cities in the Anthropocene and took part in the Seminar on this subject and from a Mediterranean perspective, which brought together several experts at the CCCB.

“Public space is the possibility to come together in different ways”

• Suzanne Hall

The sociologist Suzanne Hall spoke with Nigel Thrift about Cities in the Anthropocene and took part in the Seminar on this subject and from a Mediterranean perspective, which brought together several experts at the CCCB.

"I was like a child, instinctively finding out the basics of good urban design: green, open space, and close to home"

• Sam Williams

In the interview, the landscape architect Sam Williams argues that one of the greatest challenges in city design is dealing with the relationship of public space and children

"The space for true play is not one of swings and slides monitored by adults"

• Francesco Tonucci

Play is pleasure entailing exploration and adventure, and requiring a variety of settings, spontaneously chosen places like the stairway at home, or the river, far from the adult gaze.

«Public space is where people exchange glances and opinions»

• Nadia Urbinati

Places with public value are those which allow people to represent themselves and, at the same time, recognise others.

"Public space means knocking at your neighbour’s door and asking who he is"

• Hakan Günday

The misleading sensation, held out by the new technologies, that we know a lot and know a lot of people, can be remedied by leaving one’s comfort zone and opening up to others in public space.