A new publication has been released on public spaces by UG members Veronika Antoniou, René Carraz, and Yiorgos Hadjichristou.
Abstract:
The Green Urban Lab took the form of public installations that were placed at various locations in four cities in Cyprus. These installations – through which a series of events, activities, workshops and research took place – were the main tools in regenerating a series of urban public spaces in Cyprus. The purpose of this project was to identify issues and opportunities related to public space and to offer guidelines on how design and participatory democracy improvements could strengthen civil society, while raising the quality of the urban public scene. Giant inflatable structures were injected in important urban fragments in order to accommodate series of events. The design and playful installation generated a wide community engagement. The fluid presence of the installations acted as a catalyst for social interaction. They were accessed and viewed effortlessly and surprisingly, creating opportunities to rediscover public spaces.
Reference:
Antoniou, V. , Carraz, R. , Hadjichristou, Y. (2015). ‘Inflating the Public: A Series of Urban Interventions’. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Science Index 107, International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, 9(11), 3438 – 3444.
The publication can be downloaded here
