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inspiring public spaces and places

posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 12:25 PM

I wish I could have a cup of INSPIRATION instead of a coffee in the morning because I’ve always been driven by moments of inspiration. They have opened my mind and eyes and encouraged to go for my dreams – to travel, to study, to meet diverse people, to inspire my friends and family and simply they have gave me feeling of living with a capital L. Therefore, besides of working on the idea of a cup of inspiration, I am interested in creation and development of INSPIRING PUBLIC SPACES such as waterfronts with skating rinks and playgrounds, public transport with musicians that bring smile to people faces, cafeterias exposing works of young artists, outdoorsy markets selling food from all over the world, parks with mimes and rose gardens, accessible inner-city squares where to have a lunch, and such cyber spaces as i-genius for social entrepreneurs. Why? Because I believe that inspiration is a product of synergy between people and places, therefore it is enormously important how public spaces are being developed.

By INSPIRING public space I do not mean place of exquisite and revolutionary buildings and purely commercial culture. Maybe such places seem aesthetical, clean and nice but never inspiring... Moreover, I don’t believe that creation of such “premium network” spaces out of reach from the wider citizenry and cityspace helps diverse people promote what they are doing and enables them to connect with others. Unfortunately there are many aesthetical but spiritless public places legislated by such metaphors in urban policy as “multicultural”, “diversity”, “creativity”, “inner-city renaissance” etc in the cities. Despite rhetoric such urban development excludes young people, artists, ethnical minorities and other “sensitive” social groups. Hence, current urban agenda inherent an ambiguity: aiming to bring back people to the inner city, promoting social mixing and diversity in the same time promote discrimination in terms of setting premises for the limited accessibility of disadvantaged social groups. It means there is danger of single-minded approach which fails to recognize diversity of lifestyles or urban populations.

So how can we envision the role of urban space as a support for vibrant public life? What is the potential for cities to promote ideals of public life such as fairness, openness and civic engagement by provision of public places that is community focused including substantial education and community aspects? First, I believe it can be done through open discussions towards social change and, second, there is need to shape the thinking and practice of urban leaders and sustainable urban development. Therefore I am studying social and cultural change in the cities and in the future I am looking forward to developing a social enterprise - a think-tank that will inspire to link the physical to the economic, environmental and social, providing urbanists with the tools to apply, tailor and refine innovation. In order to achieve it, I am looking for networking and communication with mind-liked people and inspiring places and spaces!

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