By Gordon S. Grice

Technically, any space that isn’t private space is public space. If you include wide-open spaces—grasslands, deserts, tundras, etc.—public space is boundless in every sense: It goes on seemingly forever, and it may not be clearly defined.

As architects and planners, the public spaces that concern us most, and are the subject of this issue of The Right Angle Journal, are the more modest, defined spaces in cities and suburbs that offer relief from our private cocoons and allow us to mingle. Most of us know of a public space that we enjoy visiting. Maybe it’s a civic square, a streetcorner, a boardwalk or a patch of grass that allows us to observe and interact with other people, nature and animals, to breathe fresh air and remind ourselves what life is all about.

There have been public spaces for as long as civilization has existed. The Sumerians had their temple courtyard, the Babylonians their market square, the ancient Greeks their agora and the Romans their forum. The function of public spaces today has changed very little since those ancient times, nor have they lost their popularity. In his book Life Between Buildings, [Washington: Island Press, 2011] Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl refers to “The growing intensity, with which high quality public spaces are currently used around the world, as well as the increased general interest in the quality of cities and their public spaces.” To put it simply, as urban populations grow exponentially, the importance of public spaces also continues to grow.

In this issue of The Journal, we look at public spaces, large and small, through the eyes of planners, architects and landscape architects. Christopher Moise confronts the idea that public spaces are as emotional and psychological as they are physical. Ryan Martin suggests that we are sometimes guilty of ignoring the full potential of our public spaces. The editor discusses the phenomenon commonly called “sense of place,” whereby the inherent characteristics of a public site may (or may not) be incorporated into its architectural development. Landscape designer Ed Leonard reports from Ajijic, Mexico, with an in-depth view of how public spaces are used in in a resort/retirement community. Bill Birdsell reveals how a civic catastrophe can result in civic betterment. Rita Devgan describes a public park in Barcelona that is much more than a public space; it’s a national treasure.

What is it that people need and appreciate in public space and how can we make sure that these criteria are met?