The concept of public space, and particularly of civic public space, is certainly a constitutive element of Italy’s urban culture. The design and spatial configuration of public spaces have always been a synthesis between deeply rooted models and political functions (the piazza, the palazzo, the church, the civic buildings), and of local circumstances and design inspiration. Hence the fascination of the piazza: while all piazze perform similar functions, they take very different spatial and architectural characteristics, thus adding to the variety and the “magic”, as it were, of public space experience.
The main purpose of this article is to celebrate the piazza as the core symbol of public space magic. In doing so, I set a modest linguistic goal: to discourage non-Italian speaking piazza fans from using the plural “piazzas” and to impose the Italian “piazze”. As to the success of this endeavour, only future will tell.
Measuring the Magic of Public Space. Le Piazze di Roma
Abstract
Published: 2016-10-16
Issue:Vol 1 No 1 (2016)
Pages:17
to 24
Section:
Overview
Available Formats
How to Cite
Garau, P. (2016) “Measuring the Magic of Public Space. Le Piazze di Roma”, The Journal of Public Space, 1(1), pp. 17-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.5204/jps.v1i1.6.
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