Public space forms our living environment and surrounds us wherever we go in the city. The qualities of the spaces we move through influence our physical and psychological health and create the impression we have of a place. They also affect the prosperity, identity, and overall life of the city. Therefore, local authorities strive to create the most pleasant public spaces possible. This is also a focal point in the project of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026.
PUBLIC SPACE FOR EVERYONE
All the places where you pass daily, where you can move freely, spend your time, stop, sit, wait, or relax constitute public space. These spaces are generally owned or managed by public authorities, but increasingly, spaces in private ownership are also emerging.
Public spaces include areas between buildings, streets, squares, parks, pedestrian zones, playgrounds, as well as underpasses, overpasses, dog parks, promenades, waterfronts, and areas around shopping centers. Common features of good public spaces are their accessibility, comfort, variety of activities, inclusivity, as well as aesthetics and, increasingly, climate resilience. Urban spaces should be accessible to everyone, without restrictions and free of charge. What would it be like to live in a city where it is not easy to find a place to meet friends, take a walk with children, or simply go for a run? It may seem unthinkable, but ask yourself how many such places you realistically have in your area. Are they safe, easily accessible, and regularly adapting to changing times? Building such places is becoming a topic of debate in many cities.
Although the urban planning process is a long-term and demanding discipline, within the project of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026, we strive to bring European standards of public spaces through smaller measures that set standards for the future. For example, we have developed a Retail and Advertisement Guidelines to help improve public spaces by regulating visual pollution.
What is visual pollution? You will find out in the next article.