Privatization of the public realm is rampant in modern cities. Public space accessibility and usage is often determined by inhabitants’ socio-economic background in the mega cities of the developing world as well. The case of Chennai, a city of 9 million people drawn from different regions in India, is used in this project to understand this phenomenon and evolve an alternate approach to urban public space design and use, in which citizen-led initiatives are encouraged, instead of being ignored, by mainstream urban planning and design processes. Chennai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world today. Conventional planning has failed to direct this growth towards creating sustainable urban environments for all, and has instead encouraged lopsided development that caters only to the affluent sections. This trend has affected public spaces as well, which are now centered on consumption and dependant on heavy investment in real estate and technology. This has a considerable impact on the spectrum of socio-economic groups that are able to access and use them. The project questions the prevalent situation, and focuses on three aspects that have been ignored in recent times. The first (Everyday Urbanism) is explored as a method to revitalize the second (Public Spaces), in order to achieve the third (Sustainable Lifestyles) as a long term goal. This is done using analysis and design in parallel, and results in a proposal for a new design process and through it, scale specific design solutions for Chennai’s public spaces that will create a high quality of life for inhabitants of the heavily populated, demographically diverse and socio-economically fragmented city.

Inspired by regional Austronesian vernacular architecture, volcanic forms in the northern island of Luzon in the Philippines, and the natural geometry of the Fibonacci spiral, “Six volcanoes” is a multifunctional public space in the municipality of Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, located a stone’s throw southeast of the University of the Philippines, Los Baños campus, in the peri-urban community of Barangay (village) Tuntungin Putho.   The 3500 sqm. site rises one meter from the original street level to a 14 m. high 1100 sqm. main space. A slightly lower 6 m. high 150 sqm. auxiliary space is southwest of the main space.  Bamboo poles, which could be grown and harvested on an adjacent mini-mountain, “Pulong Malake”, serve as building material, with steel connector joinery where appropriate.  Laid-stone foundations and the thatched-roof cogon grass material are sourced from a local quarry and local fields.  Possible uses of the spaces include a wifi-lounge, learning and workshop activities, sporting events, festivities and concerts, church services, meetings and conferences.  Open to all in the area, from impoverished squatters to residents of adjacent gated communities and walled homes, “Six volcanoes” would facilitate social networking and cohesion, combating informal social segregation and bridging socio-economic class divides.

The exclusion of marginalized individuals or groups from public space through interventions as part of processes of urban transformation, and the disparity between these processes and the stated motivations behind them have been widely researched (Berney, 2013; Low, 2020; Madanipour, 2020; Mitchell, 2017). The aim of the thesis is to critically examine the disconnect between motivations and outcomes in public space planning through the theoretical perspective of a right to the city (Lefebvre, 1996), applying the idea of circulating spatial rationalities (Huxley, 2006). The thesis takes a qualitative approach, and is designed as a case study, focused on the urban park Rålambshovsparken. The chosen methods were semi-structured interviews with four participants involved in the planning of the park, and a document analysis of three planning documents. The findings show that the interventions in the park could be said to affect inclusiveness in a few different ways, for example through overly protective measures, to ensure a perceived required quality level. Also that the motivations belong to larger spatial rationalities, the participants adhere to different spheres of rationality, though interlinking with each other.

El bajo rendimiento de las selecciones de la FDPN y la falta de infraestructura deportiva adecuada, vinculado con el mal diseño urbano ha suscitado que existe una necesidad en potenciar estos puntos y un nuevo lugar que funcione como hito tanto urbano como deportivo. Dentro de este fenómeno, el IPD, la FDPN y Municipalidad del Callao se han visto afectadas directamente debido al déficit de espacios tanto públicos como deportivos y vinculados entre sí. Sumando este problema a la necesidad general de espacio público de la ciudad, se decidió plantear crear un centro deportivo que funcionará como un equipamiento para el distrito y además abastecerá con crear deportistas adecuados para competencias y resultados. El proyecto enfatiza la idea del vínculo e integración. La idea es generar una atmosfera de confraternización, inspirando y concientizando a los deportistas de todos los niveles a través de una comunicación mutua, vinculándose unos con otros. Esto se logra a través de una red de espacios vinculadores, donde se fomenta la congregación y encuentro de deportistas experimentados y los amateurs experimentas sensaciones producidas por la tectónica y contacto con los elementos naturales. Además, el proyecto trabaja una innovación con la materialidad. Se usa en gran parte madera laminada como coberturas. La utilización de la madera laminada es algo nuevo en este tipo de proyectos para el país. La idea nace de tener una cobertura con la cual sea menos impactante en el medio ambiente, así como una más resistente en caso de sismo y al fuego. / The poor performance of the FDPN teams and the lack of adequate sports infrastructure, linked to poor urban design has raised the need to strengthen these points and a new place that functions as both urban and sports landmarks. Within this phenomenon, the IPD, the FDPN and the Municipality of Callao have been directly affected due to the deficit of both public and sports and interlinked spaces. Adding this problem to the general need for public space in the city, it was decided to create a sports center that will function as an equipment for the district and provide adequate sports for competitions and results. The project emphasizes the idea of the link and integration. The idea is to generate an atmosphere of fraternization, inspiring and raising awareness among athletes of all levels through mutual communication, linking with each other. This is achieved through a network of binding spaces, where the congregation and meeting of experienced athletes is encouraged, and amateurs experience sensations produced by tectonics and contact with natural elements. In addition, the project works an innovation with materiality. Laminated wood is largely used as toppings. The use of laminated wood is something new in this type of projects for the country. The idea stems from having a coverage with which it is less impactful on the environment as well as a more resistant in case of earthquake and fire. / Tesis

The diploma thesis deals with new forms of sculpture in contemporary art. The theoretical part describes the development of sculpture and its changes in the course of time with a special emphasis on current Czech authors and their work. It also comments on materials and themes which most frequently occur and are used in sculpture. Last but not least, his part also deals with a public space and placing sculptures in here. The practical part presents a series of author's sculptural works which focus on various materials possibly usable in Art classes at the first school. Properties, availability and durability of the materials are examined and evaluated. In the didactic part, the author presents work of 5th year pupils who were inspired by creations of Anna Hulačová, a Czech sculptor. In the end, sculpture exhibitions visited by the author are presented. KEYWORDS Anna Hulačová, material, sculpture, theme, public space

The diploma thesis is focused on the phenomenon of processes of appropriation in public space. The analysis draws upon urban anthropology with the aim to point out that some appropriative tactics may help to improve a quality of life in a city. The thesis is based on the theoretical concepts of French scholars, namely Marc Augé, Michel de Certeau and Henri Lefebvre, who share the common interest in a man as the everyday user, but also the creator of public space. Another methodological tool is the qualitative criteria of public space established by Jan Gehl. After the introduction to the urban anthropology the thesis concerns with the public space itself, defining it, putting it into the practical framework and outlining the main problems of its crisis. The next part is about the processes of appropriation and their forms. In the applied part of the thesis are then described the examples of four Prague public spaces which are appropriated by their inhabitants and it is evaluated their importance for the whole city. In the last part is the theory turned into the practice in the form of micro- project in the Prague public space. Key words Appropriation, city, urban anthropology, public space, open space.

This thesis focuses on the concept of public space as a construct which is formed at time and is a subject to the contemporary social conditions. The first part maps the historical evolution of this construct. The changes of content of terms that have been used at different times in the sense which today is understood as a public space are described. This part presents contemporary theoretical basis, their reflections in the society and also their reflection in the lived reality. It describes the key influences that shaped today's "modus vivendi" of public space. Apart from the ancient agora the work focuses on the Czech environment from the 19th century to the present. The second part, the research work describes how the current discourse of public space, represented by the Via Foundation (Nadace Via) and its program The place, where we live (Místo, kde žijeme), transcribed into the social structure of the three Czech villages. In the context of three case studies we focus on how the public space of these villages have changed and which elements from the past survived in this structure.

Interactive light systems create unique opportunities for different kinds of social interactions in public places. This thesis explores movement as the main interaction to discover and create new ways of engaging in social interaction as well as to encourage people of different age groups to come together and participate. To further explore and answer the questions in mind, different field studies such as interviews and user tests were implemented to gather information on how the pedestrian’s thoughts and actions were. The outcome of these field studies showed that there is a slight shyness in the Swedish people and that they need to be encouraged to start socially interacting. Which through the presented prototype and its mechanics worked and allowed the participants to express their thoughts and feelings regarding an interactive light system that could encourage social interaction in public spaces.

Public space functions are essential for society to function because they can support social exchanges and building public life. This master thesis is a study of public life that unfolds in the setting of three redesigned public spaces in Rosengård, including Bokalerna, Rosens Röda Matta, and Rosengård Centrum. Drawing on a conceptual toolbox developed from a territorial actor-network theory (ANT) I examine the socio-material exchanges that take place because of the redesigned materialities of space and explore their impact on the quality of the selected public places. I employ qualitative methods - visual ethnography and interviews - to address the questions of 1) how material topographies mediate social exchange and 2) What actors or events are important for assembling everyday sociality in the selected three public spaces.I made use of six operative concepts of anchors, base camps, multicore and monocore spaces, tickets and rides, ladders, and finally punctiform, linear and field seating to explore their impact on the quality of the selected public places in terms of affording or hindering social exchanges. My field observations of the three sites and interviews indicate that the Rosengård Centrum accommodate a more pronounced public life compared the other, and perhaps the most popular one in the district. The programmed materialities and multiple points of organised activities allow space to facilitate heterogeneous clusterings of humans and non-human entities and the formation of a diverse collective. Moreover, the organization of a mixture of monocore and multicore space in combination with sheltered anchor spots appears to be essential for assembling and stabilising human collectives and everyday sociality in Rosengård.My findings suggest that, while many of the discussions in the literature concentrate on centres of cities or large metropolitan areas, much could still be learned from a thorough study of public spaces at a finer scale and neighbourhood level.

Denna uppsats syftar till att utmana den vedertagna föreställningen om vad ett offentligt rum innebär och ska innehålla enligt manlig tradition, samt till att skapa förståelse för hur föreställningar om kön påverkar kvinnors liv i staden. Uppsatsen undersöker hur kvinnors erfarenheter kan uttryckas i det offentliga rummet samt vilken potential feministisk- och genusmedveten planering kan ha för att stärka kvinnors känsla av ägandeskap i staden. Här används feministiskt- och genusvetenskaplig teori för att diskutera könsförtryck kopplat till den byggda miljön samt som ett analysverktyg för att studera skillnader i kvinnor och mäns villkor att tillträda och befinna sig i det offentliga rummet. Studien undersöker en aktivitetsyta i Lund som syftar till att vara jämställd och välkomnande för alla människor. Studieobjektet används för att diskutera gestaltningens effekter och potential som verktyg för att förbättra kvinnors upplevelser i staden. Studien visar på att stora delar av den fysiska miljön idag är planerad utifrån manliga kriterier och normer, samt att dessa än idag påverkar kvinnors stadsliv. För att minska konsekvenserna av en traditionell patriarkal planering har disciplinen antagit en strategi vilken utgår från könsneutrala kriterier. Detta, menar vi, har misslyckats med att synliggöra kvinnor och icke- cispersoner samt negligerat många av de erfarenheter som dessa grupper delar. Att se på stadsplanering utifrån ett feministiskt perspektiv menar vi möjliggör för att omformulera befintliga planeringsfrågor samt omvärdera för givet tagna stadsideal. Uppsatsens teoretiska ramverk visar att det finns bakomliggande samhällsstrukturer vilka påverkar såväl den fysiska miljön som den sociala och att kvinnor därmed förhåller sig annorlunda till staden än män. Några av de slutsatser uppsatsen presenterar är att könsneutral planering alltid kommer gagna män, såvida vi inte lever i ett postpatriarkalt samhälle, samt att vi måste hitta nya former för det offentliga rummet om vi strävar efter en jämställd byggd miljö. Vidare att kvinnor bär på kunskap och erfarenheter som är relativt outforskade inom planeringsdisciplinen och att dessa har potential till att omdana flera av de planeringsnormer som råder idag. / This thesis aims to challenge the accepted notion of what a public space means and should contain according to male tradition, as well as to create an understanding of how gender perceptions affect women’s opportunities in the city. The paper examines how women’s experiences can be expressed in public spaces and what potential feminist- and gender conscious planning have to strengthen women’s sense of ownership in the city. Here, feminist and gender theory is used to discuss the built environments role in gender oppression as well as an analytical tool for studying differences in women’s and men’s conditions of access and being in public spaces. The thesis examines an area of activity in Lund, Sweden, which aims to be gender equal and welcoming to all citizens. The object of study is used to discuss how design can affect and be used as a tool to improve women’s experiences in the city. We have found that large parts of the physical environment are planned based on male criteria and norms, and that these affect women’s urban life to this day. In order to reduce the consequences of traditional patriarchal planning, the discipline has adopted a strategy based on gender-neutral criteria. This, we believe, has failed to make women and non-cis people visible in planning. Therefore, many of the experiences that these groups share has been neglected. Looking at urban planning from a feminist perspective, we believe, enables to reformulate existing planning issues and re-evaluate the given urban ideals. The theoretical framework of the thesis shows that there are underlying social structures that affect both the physical environment as well as the social, and that women thus experience the city differently than men. Some of the conclusions this paper presents are that gender-neutral planning will always benefit men, unless we live in a post-patriarchal society, and that we must find new forms for public space if we strive for a gender equal built environment. Furthermore, women carry knowledge and experiences that are relatively unexplored in the planning discipline, and that these have the potential to change many of the planning standards that prevail today.