Do only the physical qualities of a public space influence the way it’s being used or the activities it hosts and do large-scale socioeconomic events of the past decade affect their function?

Do only the physical qualities of a public space influence the way it’s being used or the activities it hosts and do large-scale socioeconomic events of the past decade affect their function?: Human Activity in Public Spaces Before and During the Pandemic

Christodoulakos, Miltiadis (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)

Tanović, S. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences

AR2A011

2022-04-14

The scope of this thesis is set to examine the immediate relation of a city’s public spaces to the daily life of its citizens and portray how this relationship evolves. The location under examination is the city center of Athens, Greece. Specifically, focus will be given on two major public squares, namely Syntagma square and Omonia square. Syntagma square functions as a front stage for the Athenian citizen. Its location being right in front of the Hellenic Parliament strongly influences the uses and activities that take place. In contrast, Omonia square stands as a backstage of public life in the city center. Importantly, these two squares are closely located and are linked together via the axis of Panepistimiou and Stadiou streets. Both comprise some of the busiest streets in the center of the capital and play an integral role in the function of the city. Therefore, the squares, being linked through such important arteries in the circulation network of the city, gain significant importance in the context of the public life.

The analysis will focus on the observations and recordings of human activities (movement/flow, behavior, and occupation) that are taking place in these public squares. Open observation will help to understand how the structured outdoor public sphere is being used and whether it controls its user. The question of ownership, a fundamental issue in regard to public spaces, directly affects and influences how the public space is used. Hence, I aim to understand who owns these public squares and how this influences their design and structure. Are private interests and goals favored over the interests of the public? If that’s the case and local actors are not consulted prior to and during development, this may result in the construction of public spaces that only serve upper- and middle-class individuals and add to socioeconomic and ethnic exclusion and segregation.

To this purpose, I will analyze case-studies chronologicaly in relation to the changing context (pre- and mid- pandemic conditions) and will aim to identify all relevant changes occurring on these squares. I will focus on public activities in the years 2011 and 2022. For the observation of 2011, as a comparative period, I will rely on Dr. Fani Kostourou’s research that analyzes human activities in the center of Athens at that time under non pandemic conditions. This work will serve as a basis for my analysis which focuses on the pandemic conditions of the year 2022.

Between 2011 and 2020 numerous events took place which resulted in profound changes in the public space. Furthermore, the pandemic drastically affected the public sphere and the overall human activity in it. The essay is going to identify how user’s’ behavior changed in relation to the squares’ new layout and analyze the impact that an unprecedented pandemic environment has had on the public sphere of the city.

AR2A011
Public Space
Human Activity
Pandemic
Privately Owned Public Space

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Student theses

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© 2022 Miltiadis Christodoulakos