Socio-philosophers and architects hold very different views on the definition of the public realm/sphere, resulting in the neglecting of the critique of the first group on the latter. In this paper architectural solutions are discussed on this topic, looking first at what architectural elements stimulate the gathering in public places, secondly what topics are relevant for a public debate, and thirdly what architectural elements stimulate people in public to converse with one another. When people are attracted to public places, which is often due to the number of (both formal and informal) seating spaces, and natural elements, this conversation often takes place due to an imbalance in the role people play in public, which could be caused by setting, location, distance, behaviour, or the specific role people fulfill.