Social and aesthetic perception of urban public space in contemporary society

Abstract

The urban public space is currently in a critical period. But it struggles to continue representing an important role for general society, and particularly citizenship. That role, formed through multiple cultu­ral approaches, requires a social and aesthetic dimension to enter in urban heritage. This article examines the circumstances of the crisis since three approaches: conceptual, social and aesthetic. Regarding the last one, a previous review is made concerning the principal aesthetic tendencies of the second half of the twentieth century. Starting from this triple approach, the main results about public space and contemporary citizenship perception ―social and aesthetic― are presented. The study concludes with the need of highlight the value of the aesthetic dimension to boost social and vice versa. In order to inform the relation, three variables are suggested: urban planning, architecture and design of public space.