The Future of Public Spaces: An Assessment from the Perspective of Social Justice and Equity

Public spaces reflect how cities approach social justice, equity, and collective well-being. This chapter examines their future by considering how they are produced, managed, accessed, and experienced. Treating public spaces as residual areas or merely quantitative planning requirements weakens their social functions and can reproduce spatial inequalities. Accessibility cannot be reduced to proximity; topography, physical constraints, safety, facilities, and user experience shape whether these spaces can actually be accessed. The gap between planned and lived space points to the need for stronger participation and inclusion in the relationship among product, administration, and users. The contribution of public spaces to social sustainability depends on whether public spaces support social cohesion, a sense of place, interaction, and equitable access. Participation becomes meaningful when user experience informs decisions, less visible groups are represented, and interaction continues beyond the initial planning stage. Public spaces can therefore be understood as shared urban values that continue to evolve through use, experience, and changing social needs.