Introduction

Against the background of changing social, economic and cultural conditions the seemingly broad agreement on the basic condition of public space has to be questioned again.

How does the extensive use of mass media and virtual communication tools will effect the public space? Is it still relevant for political opinion making or is this done by mass media now? How do modern forms of government operate there? Who exerts power and control in what way in public space? Is there still a space of critical discussion in the sense of Habermas’ public sphere?

Do private affairs become public by mobile communication or does the public becomes an extension to the private space; or is it both, a living room of the collective (1).

Do we agree on shopping as the basis of society (2) and should we follow fatal strategies while shaping public space? This idea becomes less displeasing when reading the passage project by Walter Benjamin. Thinking of shopping as one fundamental activity of human life in the sense of trading allows us to argue in a constructive way. Nonetheless, problems such as disintegration of certain classes through access control to privatized public spaces have to be addressed.

Yet another discussion concerning the amount of surveillance needed to provide safe cities is one to be continued. Recent incidents have shown that tools used to attain security are highly different regarding their potentials and risks. The demand for more video surveillance on the one hand and the agitation on google street view on the other hand shows that this discussion is held lively though pretty irrational. A first step towards a responsible handling of tools for public surveillance will doubtless be comprehensive education. Projects like i-see (3) should not be our last answer.

Fortunately the downsides of the Athens Charter (4) are now largely identified. Intercessors like Andreas Brummell and Jürgen Knirsch are trendsetting, stating that ideal open space will give wide space to any possible activity (5). This idea of open space is even stronger considering Habermas’ concept of the human being as a Zoon Politikon (6). In addition to all virtualities the public space therefore remains the original place to cause identity. The loss of simple identities throughout the last 40 years might thus be the main reason for the popularity of this topic.
After all we should take a close look to arts in public space. Contrasting the aesthetics of our cities, artworks can give us a clear view on our environment. To accommodate the apparent complexity of this subject the Project on Public Space is designed as an open collection of contributions to this topic. We deeply feel that comprehensive knowledge altogether with an open mind is the only way to succeed in improving our cities.



„Zur Technik der Pariser, ihre Straßen zu bewohnen: Auf dem Rückwege durch die Straße Saint Honoré begegneten wir einem sprechenden Beispiele der alles benutzenden Pariser Straßenindustrie. Man war an einer Stelle mit Ausbesserung des Pflasters und Legung von Röhren beschäftigt und es war dadurch in der Mitte der Straße ein abgesperrtes Stück Erde entstanden, das aber aufgewallt und mit Steinen bedeckt war. Mitten auf diesem Terrain hatte sich sogleich die Straßenindustrie etabliert, und fünf bis sechs Händler hielten Schreibapperate und Taschentücher, Stahlwaren, Lampenschirme, Strumpfbänder, gestickte Kragen und allerhand sonstigen Kleinkram feil; ja ein eigentlicher Trödler hatte sogar hier eine Kommandite etabliert, und sein Bric-à-Brac von alten Tassen, Tellern, Gläsern und dergleichen auf und über den Steinen ausgebreitet, so dass Handel und Wandel von der kurzen Störung profitierten, statt davon zu leiden. Sie sind eben Virtuosen darin aus der Not eine Tugend zu machen.“ Stahr, Adolf: Nach fünf Jahren. Pariser Studien aus dem Jahre 1855/57



1: Walter Benjamin, Das Passagen-Werk 1927-1940 2: world=shopping by Rem Koolhaas, Harvard Guide to Shopping, 2002 3: i-see, http://www.appliedautonomy.com/isee.html 4: Athens Charter, fourth CIAM meeting, 1933 5: Jürgen Knirsch, Stadtplätze, 2004 6: Jürgen Habermas, Öffentlicher Raum und politische Öffentlichkeit, 2004

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Against the background of changing social, economic and cultural conditions the seemingly broad agreement on the basic condition of public space has to be questioned again.

How does the extensive use of mass media and virtual communication tools will effect the public space? Is it still relevant for political opinion making or is this done by mass media now? How do modern forms of government operate there? Who exerts power and control in what way in public space? Is there still a space of critical discussion in the sense of Habermas’ public sphere?

Do private affairs become public by mobile communication or does the public becomes an extension to the private space; or is it both, a living room of the collective (1).

Do we agree on shopping as the basis of society (2) and should we follow fatal strategies while shaping public space? This idea becomes less displeasing when reading the passage project by Walter Benjamin. Thinking of shopping as one fundamental activity of human life in the sense of trading allows us to argue in a constructive way. Nonetheless, problems such as disintegration of certain classes through access control to privatized public spaces have to be addressed.

Yet another discussion concerning the amount of surveillance needed to provide safe cities is one to be continued. Recent incidents have shown that tools used to attain security are highly different regarding their potentials and risks. The demand for more video surveillance on the one hand and the agitation on google street view on the other hand shows that this discussion is held lively though pretty irrational. A first step towards a responsible handling of tools for public surveillance will doubtless be comprehensive education. Projects like i-see (3) should not be our last answer.

Fortunately the downsides of the Athens Charter (4) are now largely identified. Intercessors like Andreas Brummell and Jürgen Knirsch are trendsetting, stating that ideal open space will give wide space to any possible activity (5). This idea of open space is even stronger considering Habermas’ concept of the human being as a Zoon Politikon (6). In addition to all virtualities the public space therefore remains the original place to cause identity. The loss of simple identities throughout the last 40 years might thus be the main reason for the popularity of this topic.
After all we should take a close look to arts in public space. Contrasting the aesthetics of our cities, artworks can give us a clear view on our environment. To accommodate the apparent complexity of this subject the Project on Public Space is designed as an open collection of contributions to this topic. We deeply feel that comprehensive knowledge altogether with an open mind is the only way to succeed in improving our cities.



„Zur Technik der Pariser, ihre Straßen zu bewohnen: Auf dem Rückwege durch die Straße Saint Honoré begegneten wir einem sprechenden Beispiele der alles benutzenden Pariser Straßenindustrie. Man war an einer Stelle mit Ausbesserung des Pflasters und Legung von Röhren beschäftigt und es war dadurch in der Mitte der Straße ein abgesperrtes Stück Erde entstanden, das aber aufgewallt und mit Steinen bedeckt war. Mitten auf diesem Terrain hatte sich sogleich die Straßenindustrie etabliert, und fünf bis sechs Händler hielten Schreibapperate und Taschentücher, Stahlwaren, Lampenschirme, Strumpfbänder, gestickte Kragen und allerhand sonstigen Kleinkram feil; ja ein eigentlicher Trödler hatte sogar hier eine Kommandite etabliert, und sein Bric-à-Brac von alten Tassen, Tellern, Gläsern und dergleichen auf und über den Steinen ausgebreitet, so dass Handel und Wandel von der kurzen Störung profitierten, statt davon zu leiden. Sie sind eben Virtuosen darin aus der Not eine Tugend zu machen.“ Stahr, Adolf: Nach fünf Jahren. Pariser Studien aus dem Jahre 1855/57



1: Walter Benjamin, Das Passagen-Werk 1927-1940 2: world=shopping by Rem Koolhaas, Harvard Guide to Shopping, 2002 3: i-see, http://www.appliedautonomy.com/isee.html 4: Athens Charter, fourth CIAM meeting, 1933 5: Jürgen Knirsch, Stadtplätze, 2004 6: Jürgen Habermas, Öffentlicher Raum und politische Öffentlichkeit, 2004