Public Space and Consumption

Course goals

• Recognize, analyze and discuss the most important academic and societal debates on the relationship between public space and consumption;
• Use a multidisciplinary theoretical perspective on public space and consumption;
• Apply theoretical concepts in practical situations and with qualitative research methods;
• critically reflect on policies and planning approaches to urban public space.

Content

The aim of this course is to gain understanding of everyday uses and experiences of urban public space from diverse user perspectives through a combination of lectures, research projects, tutorials and presentations. You will present research findings on commercialized public space and mixed-use streets by creating a documentary, synthesizing qualitative research findings and telling the stories of the ‘present state of public space’ in the city centre of Utrecht.

Public spaces are of crucial importance for the ways in which we live our daily lives. These are the spaces we dwell in and move through, spend leisure time, meet friends, interact with people of different social and cultural backgrounds, express identity, exchange information, and claim our right to the city. Streets, squares and parks do not simply provide physical backdrops for our daily life activities but their meanings are continuously challenged and contested and their use and experience are highly contextualized and dynamic. The interplay between the built environment, consumer facilities, commercial events, diverse user groups and natural conditions (e.g. day/night, weather) constitutes and changes the meaning, use and experience of urban public space.