Urban Culture and Public Space- Period 2 Social Sciences & Humanities Program Fall 2023 Semester - Amsterdam

Public space is omnipresent in our daily existence. An important part of it takes place in our cities' streets, squares and public buildings. This is where we meet friends and strangers, encounter new ideas and products, commemorate and celebrate, discuss our worries us or enjoy the moment. This course focuses on the multifaceted relationship between public space and urban culture by taking into account the (historical and contemporary) intentions and experiences of designers, commissioners and users. We will ask ourselves what the terms urban culture and public space can mean in different times and cultures. Next, we will look into the relationship between the intentions and ideals of the 'makers' of public space -architects, urbanists and commissioners - and the perception and ideals of its users - the public itself. The course offers a kaleidoscopic journey into the past and present of our everyday living environment, probing into the question what public space can be, how it comes into being and how it is transformed. We will study prevailing writings on urban culture and public space and investigate case studies, both in lectures and on site.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.