Transgressing the borders between politics and aesthetics, imaginary and physical forms, this dissertation pursues a broad interdisciplinary exploration of the construction of public space. In order to confront the dual character of public space – a physical realm with unclear borders, as well as an evasive concept, imbued with ideas of freedom, critique and democracy – the dissertation addresses public space as a ”medium”, that is, as a material for aesthetic practice and in terms of communication, as a “projective screen” of society. Using the refurbishment of Stortorget in Kalmar as its generative case, the dissertation examines the conditions for making and thinking such a space, whereby the hidden assumptions of public space are brought to the fore. Due to the hybrid character and complexity of the Stortorget project, carried out as a seamless collaboration between art and architecture, it in addition raises issues that are highly significative for the identity and legitimacy of the respective disciplines. Focussing on the concept of “place”, and tracing its role within art and architecture theory and practice since the paradigmatic shift between late modernity and postmodernity, the dissertation examines the conflictual relationship between art and architecture in order to gain an understanding of them as different, yet intimately connected, ways of producing new forms of reality. The claim made throughout the dissertation is that public space cannot be “reconstructed” on the basis of historical forms and ideals – rather it must be continuously reinvented in accordance with a critical understanding of democracy. Ultimately, the dissertation is an examination of how, and why, public space can be defended as an indispensible form of society and of the complex coalition of its aesthetical and political effects. / QC 20100824

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