ABSTRACT
Public space is a vital part of the experience of a place: the street we use to get to work or to the shops, the parks where people play sports or walk dogs, the playgrounds where children play, the paths where we bump into friends, and the squares where a community comes together for festivities and markets. Squares and market places were historically the focus of social activities, followed by streets, lanes and green spaces around them. Well-designed and maintained public spaces, particularly those that relate to landscape and heritage, are an important aspect of local character. Rethinking public spaces needs the input of a variety of stakeholders and public bodies. Open and exploratory design processes with local people can encourage the re-thinking of the purpose of underused and unloved public spaces. The resulting Bridge Street Project combined a theatre production, 'Bridge Street Will Be', and an architectural intervention, 'Reflected Elevation'.
