IMPORTANCE OF URBAN PUBLIC SPACE IN SOCIAL INTERACTION: EXPLORING DEGREES OF PUBLICNESS. THE CASE OF NEIGHBORHOOD IN TIRANA

Abstract

Nowadays, our community has changed towards privatization and secluded life. This is due to various reasons, such as the influence of technology and the lack of common open spaces and activities. At this point, the role of urban public spaces in social life has become an important element. Issues of social life in public spaces have not been given too much attention in urban planning and design. This thesis raises the question of creating an intimate relationship between public life and people, and how public spaces encourage citizens to increase social interaction. A main focus has been given to the evaluation of different types of public spaces by exploring the concept of publicness. Firstly, the factors that affect the quality of social life in public spaces are explained. Then, different degrees of public spaces and their elements are analyzed such as building, street, and neighborhood. Surveys on a specific neighborhood in Tirana are conducted. All the components of the neighborhood area and their degrees of publicness are explored such as: housing, terraces, stairs, paths, street, courtyard, square etc. Also, we have conducted observations of neighborhood community to see how people use a certain space, activities which take place, and interaction between inhabitants.