Some fine public spaces

Efficient public spaces are vital to ensure livability of a city. These need to be crafted and nurtured in various ways to promote well-being of its citizens in an inclusive and sustainable manner

Scandinavian countries have the best public spaces. According to a survey on people’s satisfaction with public spaces published by World Economic Forum on weforum.org, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland all scored 8 out of 10 or better. Switzerland also scored 8.
Pleasing and efficient public spaces add significantly to people’s quality of life and happiness and thus enhance livability of cities in a major way. Public spaces could come in a wide array of settings such as parks and gardens, beaches and water bodies, streets and squares.
One may consider others such as airports and railways stations, playgrounds and stadia, museums and libraries too as public spaces which though offering restricted (paid) access are for all, hence ‘public’ in character. For public spaces to be preferred and ranked highly they must be built well with good infrastructure (as in the case of stadia, theatres, and libraries); they must be safe (as in the case of parks and beaches); full of activity (as in the case of streets and night markets). In addition, a common thread running across all successful public spaces is accessibility, meaning it can be reached easily by all, and inclusivity, meaning it is able to meet needs of most sections of society. Some well-known public spaces around the world are shining examples.

Incheon and other international airports
Rated among the top international airports of the world, Incheon Airport while handling large volume of traffic in terms of flights and passengers, offers a wide array of facilities. It is in fact a centre of cultural and other events. Notable among them are the Cultural shows at the Millennium Hall Permanent Performance (T1), Mini Classical Concerts (T1) which offers semi-classical and pop concerts. The Node Garden offers traditional Korean music and classical music. There are also museums/exhibitions showcasing Korean national treasures, introducing Korean Royal Palaces and the Korean Cultural Street in Terminal T1 which presents traditional Korean homes. Changi Airport in Singapore is noted for its extensive greenery and natural landscapes alongside use of high technology which enablesefficient airport procedures and passenger amenities. Narita (Japan) and Hong Kong Airport have remained among the top few for some years now.
China’s upcoming new mega airport, the Beijing Daxing International Airport is scheduled to be opened in September this year. Billed the world’s largest, it will measure about 1.03 million square metres, about the size of 140 football grounds. It targets to reach annual passenger handling of 72 million (going upto 100 million by 2040) and 2 million tons of cargo by 2025. Located about 45 kilometres from Tiananmen Square in Beijing it will operate at full capacity by 2025 with four runways functional. The airport would be equipped with various new technologies including face recognition for security and other procedures.

La Trobe Reading Room Melbourne, Australia
This part of the State Library is a fine piece of architecture. Standing nearly six storeys tall, the octagonal dome shaped structure built in 1913 accommodates about 32,000 books and 320 readers at one time. It provides just the environment of quiet, peace and magnificence for serious readers. There are some permanent exhibitions housed in the library.

Champs-Élysées
The Avenue De Champs-Élysées is a must-see for everyone visiting Paris. The magnificent buildings along this street are part of the awe-inspiring experience of the visit. This two-kilometre long avenue is alive at all times, day or night. The place is a shopper’s paradise showcasing the luxury brands of the world and affordable fare too; there is something for everyone. For those looking to indulge in some food, there is a wide range to tickle one’s taste buds, including the finest French pastries. For those looking for some fine entertainment, there is are theatre shows, cinema halls and exhibitions along the avenue.
The Champs-Élysées is clearly a fine example of a great public space with global appeal.

Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
The 1.25 Billion dollar New National Stadium in Tokyo will be ready soon well in time for the opening of the 2020 Olympic Games. Sports stadia are where thousands, tens of thousands and even more converge with great excitement and expectation for a few hours to witness their favourite sporting events. These events are viewed globally by millions more on their television sets. The stadia to host these sporting events are being increasingly designed for accommodating larger audiences; also to expand the facilities available for athletes, officials and spectators.
The New National Stadium, Tokyo designed by architect Kengo Kuma, with permanent seating for 60,000 will start with a few events this December to inaugurate the stadium which will host the opening ceremony as also track and field events of the Tokyo Olympics. There are a total of 8 new venues being built for the global event while about 35 other venues are being readied by renovating existing facilities.
The Olympic Village to house about 10,000 athletes and officials is being set up on the outskirts of the city. Such public spaces which come up to host global events become a matter of great pride for the host country; not just that, these structures become lessons for the rest of the world in terms of engineering, technology use, and innovations in various spheres including athlete and spectator facilities, and security. These can make the public spaces and the events more pleasurable and safe for all.

Night markets
These are vibrant public spaces popular in many South-east Asian countries including in Taiwan. These started as informal markets of vendors and hawkers at street corners and later have grown into more organized and regulated marketplaces that operate on the sidewalks of main streets or the streets itself which are otherwise thoroughfares during the day, sometimes with retractable roofs. Here one can find a wide range of clothing and accessories, gadgets and importantly food and drink.
The shops are illuminated with attractive lighting and loud music in order to attract shoppers. However, with passing time and their growing popularity, larger established brands have marked their presence here. International fast-food chains and convenience stores can also be found here. These night markets are particularly popular among tourists wanting to catch a glimpse of the local culture and engage in affordable shopping. As public spaces, many of these such as in Taipei are now landmark destinations and much sought after.

Happy Streets in India
This is a successful and growing activity in many large cities of India. Usually over the weekend, on Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings, short stretches of popular streets are converted into non-motorized zones. These areas are then available to citizens to engage in a variety of leisure activity.
Youngsters play cricket and badminton on the roads, children use the street surface for roller-skating, there are magic shows and yoga classes on the sidewalks, and the most popular is the stage where dance and music are organized. Large numbers of spectators participate alongside. It is a fun-filled outing for the family; an attempt to reclaim lost public space for people (not cars and vehicles), even if just for a few hours every week.