Multi-Criteria Assessment of Public Space from the Social Perspective

Abstract

This article raises the issue of assessing assets of urban public space, as a specific example of revitalizing the urban fabric. This subject is so important in that it actually defines the contemporary perception and use of the city, visualizing the forms of human functioning in common urban space which are frequently not directly verbalized and originate rather from a custom or local habit, encourages interaction, but also determines constraints in social accessibility, divides people and stirs conflicts. The main purpose of the study is to show the possibilities of assessing revitalization projects concerning various types of public space by means of multi-criteria comparison and the relative evaluation of the available action scenarios. The paper offers a thesis that it is possible to carry out effective assessment of public space, which can be applied when making decisions regarding socially desirable directions of revitalization.