Public spaces through the lens of participatory urban planning – The case of Kyiv

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the distribution and degree of different types of public spaces representation in different planning zones and zones of urban value, as well as to reveal the peculiarities of the participatory urban planning implementation in the city of Kyiv. Public spaces are to some extent a reflection of the success of a city’s development. Their distribution within the city, the creation of new ones, and renovation determine the level of spatial justice. A number of researches are devoted to the study of the urban public spaces in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Australia, China, but not enough in relation to post-Soviet cities, including cities of Ukraine. The article tries to answer the question of how even and fair the distribution of public spaces in Kyiv is. The hypothesis of their injustice spatial distribution is confirmed. Ways to overcome the distributive injustice, uneven accessibility and quality of public spaces are linked to the dwellers involvement in urban planning. Therefore, the second key issue of the article is the assessment of the impact of the implementation of participatory urban planning on availability and quality of public spaces in Kyiv, in particular, the analysis of the role and peculiarities of public space projects in participatory budgeting in terms of their location by the center-periphery line.