A NEW INDEX FOR PUBLIC SPACE: After Distancing

A New Index for Public Space: After Distancing offers readers a re-evaluation of the notion of publicness as a lens to unpack the complexity of urban space. A “new index” is proposed to reconstitute the promises and the predicaments of public space to better prepare for the contemporary challenges of post-pandemic, conflict-ridden society. Part I provides a theoretical introduction to the idea of public space and publicness, laying out the book’s rationale; Part II offers a new index of terms, including affects, alignments, atmosphere, conviviality, diagrams, documenting, flow, and more; and Part III applies the proposed lexicon with a “random walk” approach, inviting the reader to use the lens of nonlinear evolutionary dynamics as a means for envisioning the future of publicness. This book is the outcome of a conversation across disciplines - specifically, urban design and social theory - revolving around the recognition that public space is inherently fragile, messy, conflicted, and evolving. This book will be of interest to urban planners, architects, and urban designers, as well as human geographers, sociologists, political theorists, and those working in community development.