On quality public space projects: comparative urban strategies

Abstract

The polycentric, compact city with quality public spaces constitutes an implicit urban model in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The New Urban Agenda promotes the quality of public space as a common good. Therefore, it is pertinent to reconsider the quality parameters and investigate its development potential. This article is based on a theoretical and methodological reflection on the quality of public spaces, taking into account the contributions of the urban tradition. With this perspective, a selection of public space projects in the European sphere has been analyzed. This has made it possible to identify a series of parameters that are subsequently applied to nine representative examples in Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza. The objective is to carry out evaluations on the quality of public spaces and determine to what extent they are in relation to the conditions of security, accessibility and inclusivity that they offer.