Past Present and Future of Public Space

"Past Present and Future of Public Space" is an Italian project, started in 2012 as an academic postdoctoral research activity by our President Dr Luisa Bravo, at the Department of Architecture, University of Bologna (Italy), and currently coordinated and promoted by City Space Architecture. The project aims to explore new dimensions of public realm and to discuss the results of research activities, through a multidisciplinary approach, on public space and related topics, comparing theories and projects, bridging knowledge to implementation and policy.

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First results were presented and discussed at the Biennale dello spazio pubblico on May 18, 2013 in Rome, during an international session promoted by City Space Architecture and coordinated by Dr Luisa Bravo, and then published in a special issue of the open access e-journal "IN_BO. Ricerche e progetti per il territorio, la città e l'architettura", entitled The Public Space of Education, edited by Dr Luisa Bravo and Claudio Sgarbi.
During the Roman session a call for proposals was launched in order to invite scholars, architects, urban designers, planners, photographers and artists to join the project.
The research project was then discussed in Bologna, on 9 November 2013 during a symposium and exhibition at Quartiere San Vitale, Municipality of Bologna, promoted by City Space Architecture.

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A large public event, a three-day international conference that took place in Bologna on 25-27 June 2014 - the first Past Present and Future of Public Space international conference - was intended to be the final result of this research activity. More than 120 scholars, academic professors and professionals attended the conference, engaging also photographers and film-makers..

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Short report on 'Past Present and Future of Public Space' International conference on Art, Architecture and Urban Design, held in Bologna in 2014.

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After this overwhelming success, City Space Architecture worked to strengthen academic and professional collaborations worldwide, that led to the foundation of:
- the Past Present and Future of Public Space Research Group 
- a new academic, open access journal, The Journal of Public Space, in partnership with UN Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. As a proper public space, The Journal of Public Space is free, accessible and inclusive, providing a platform for emerging and consolidated researchers; it is intended to foster research, showcase best practices and inform discussion about the more and more important issues related to public spaces in our changing and evolving societies.
Both the research group and the journal were launched during an international seminar in Venice, on 23 September 2016, in the frame of Biennale Sessions, a special educational project of La Biennale di Venezia. Some pictures of the event in Venice are available on our Facebook page. 

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A third 'Past Present and Future of Public Space' meeting, focused on Knowledge sharing toward implementation of the New Urban Agenda, took place at the Venice Architecture Biennale on 22-23 September 2018, and engaged 100 participants from more than 25 Universities/Institutions, including UN-Habitat - United Nations Human Settlements Programme and ISOCARP - International Society of City and Regional Planners.
Read more about the 2018 event here.

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A fourth conference took place in Venice on 17 September 2021, at the 17. International Architecture Exhibition, Venice Biennale, in cooperation with the Italian Pavilion dedicated to 'Resilient Communities', in hybrid format, on the theme Shaping Resilient Communities. Global perspectives towards implementation of the New Urban Agenda, in cooperation with UN-Habitat.
Read more about the 2021 event here and watch the live streaming from the Facebook event.

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City Space Architecture is currently organizing the fifth conference that will take place on 25-27 June 2024 in Bologna, 10 years after the first successful one.

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If you are interested to join our research group, fill out the online form here.
or send us an email to: research@cityspacearchitecture.org

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'Past Present and Future of Public Space' Research Group, first conference in Bologna (2014).

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Past Present and Future of Public Space' Research Group, third conference in Venice (2018).

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