Definition of Public Space

If we are at home, we are in a private place or space. If we go out to walk we are in a public space. From an urban point of view, public space is the surface in which the inhabitants of a place carry out activities that are not typical of their private life.

Cities have all kinds of public spaces: streets, squares, stations, ports, gardens... These places are frequented by citizens who need to travel by means of transport. They are spaces of common use. All of them are publicly owned, that is, they belong to the administration of the state, which is the establishment that must ensure its maintenance. Likewise, the administration regulates the uses of the different public spaces. This means that citizens can freely use these areas, but with some restrictions. An example would be a demonstration. A group of citizens wants to express their discomfort and intends to do so in a large square, a public space. Have right to manifest, but the administration requires that they previously request an authorization. It is simply a legal procedure to avoid possible disturbances. If two opposing groups used the same space, it is foreseeable that there would be a

The administration has the obligation to regulate public spaces. For this reason, there is a whole series of mandatory regulations for citizens. Yes one rule that affects public space is infringed by an individual, he will have to assume some sanction.

In a normal situation, the public space is a shared and open place, in which citizens interact and interact. So that the coexistence in the public space is peaceful, the forces of safety of a state (mainly the police) have to carry out surveillance actions. It is a way to guarantee the freedoms of all and a balanced coexistence.

The idea of ​​public space is not simply an urban and technical concept. It alludes to civil rights and liberties. The type of activities and traditions that are carried out in public space reflect the personality of a people, their concerns and customs.