DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE PUBLIC SPACE AS ASPECTS OF HAPPINESS AND WELLBEING

Abstract

The city is a sensory, emotional, lived experience, yet generally discussed in technical jargonas a lifeless, detached being. The city houses intense and highly politicized social processes.Its dense interconnections and sheer heterogeneity have inspired the creation of the currentstatus of institutions, process of marginalization and social justice. Public space as the spatialaspect of the public realm is the playground where the society reinvents itself. This researchaims at exploring the aspects of diversity and inclusion in today’s cities, and linking them tothe happiness and well-being of their inhabitants.Segregation and fragmentation are the counterparts of acknowledging, and respectingdiversity and adopting Inclusive policies, let alone creating an "Inclusive city". Differences inthe way space and opportunities are produced, appropriated, transformed and used, reflectthe fragmentations or inclusion of the society. The creation of a happy city depends on awellbeing oriented city design and policies. Social inclusion has been proven to have a largeshare of effect on mental health and wellbeing.The research starts off with building a theoretical base through a detailed literature review.The research then goes to discuss the segregation versus inclusion through the comparativeanalysis of public spaces, from different countries across the world, then through the focuson the public spaces of Egypt. The research results in highlighting the significance of athorough study of the heterogeneity of the society for the public space design to besuccessful, as well as taking a part in the creation of the happy city.