N.Zagora, D. Šamić
Urban activity
Urban activity is the degree to which a public place is actively used, and considers how the design of the space correlates fundamentally with the qualities of public life. Public life is the unity of the overall atmosphere and activities that take place in a public space: “It is the public life that enriches the scene as well as the beautiful space in which it takes place” (Carr, et al., 1992). According to Carr at al., cultural, economic, political and technological factors determine the public-private profile of a society, which is reflected in the shape and use of domestic and public spaces over time. Public places and the public sphere are determined by a sum of attributes Varna and Tiesdell define as publicness (Varna & Tiesdell, 2010). One of the key components, or “meta-dimensions” of publicness is animation. Other characteristics are civility, control, meaning, ownership and physical configuration. Animation is the meeting of human needs in public space, and the provision of opportunities for passive engagement (such as people watching), active engagement (activities, events and social interaction) and discovery and display, which encompasses a variety of functions. Successful public spaces facilitate social networking, through various functions for passive and active engagement: “Public space affords common ground – for social interaction, intermingling and communication: it is a site of sociability. It is a stage for information exchange, personal development and social learning (i.e. about ‘the other’) and for the development of tolerance” (Varna & Tiesdell, 2010). A key aspect in the assessment of the quality of public spaces is their social value. The Jan Gehl Institute developed the “Twelve Quality Criteria” research tool, a matrix of social activities in public spaces that determine the quality of public life (Figure 30). In this matrix, a set of six criteria of the comfort of public spaces encourages and promotes opportunities
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