Public spaces play a significant part in our urban life and its sustainability. They provide a social environment to busy urban life where people are involved in work and the same routine making them go frustrated. Public spaces are an important asset to our cities. They surely provide many opportunities to the people who can come together, communicate and engage with the community. These public spaces are unbiased and welcome diversity of people so that they can interact, relax and socialize to create a better society where everybody enjoys liberty and equality in a unified society.
There are so many factors that add up to a successful public space infrastructure in an urban community to establish a balanced and progressive society.
The accessibility of Public Space to society
This includes how public space is available and accessible to the general public in a way that they feel comfortable. Public Space should be accessible to people who are disabled as well as physically active people. For example, Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore is accessible to the public of all ethnicity, also to disable, and creating space for everyone regardless of their status who wants to be part of the community through interacting with others in public spaces. Another great way to ensure that public spaces are accessible is to provide comfortable benches, sculptures, and other attractive play squares so that people can enjoy the space longer and prefer to relax whenever they find the time.
The comfort of the public space
It’s all about the perception of people to be themselves in the public space. People usually sing, dance, exercise, socialize and play in these public places. It all depends upon how well located and comfortable the public place is. One of the great joys of going to public space is that people are able to fully express themselves. This could include meeting new people, rejuvenating with old friends, participating in social activities, or getting indulge in public ATL and BTL activities. These are all ways that people can be free in society. One example of chilling in a public space is engaging in community art. The DHA Sheba Park is a good example where people are free to express themselves. Social interactions tend to create a more relaxed atmosphere for people to express their true nature and share things while bringing out the best in people.
Togetherness and Uniformity
Many socialists suggest that having public space in the urban lifestyle is not just being practiced by contemporary people but also the ancient people used to build parks, museums, theatre, and another public square to bring oneness in the community. It is the interactions people have in the public space and about the connection forms between the person and the space. These days social media refrained people from meeting and interacting with each other in public, life has become more synthetic with semi-automation in our lifestyles. People from Rural areas have this good habit of sitting together, sharing their routine and day-to-day matters, reaching out for a good time which promotes an active lifestyle. Having social events in the public space such as music concerts or hosting movies is also a great way to get people engaged with one another.
Modern Real Estate housing societies are continuously adopting the trend of having public places within colonies, especially parks, community halls, cinema halls, public squares. It has brought awareness to people who were living their busy work-oriented urban life. It is observed that cities that have public places have less crime rate because it generates employment opportunities as well. The government of Pakistan should also focus on building attractive public places in different cities which will not just provide benefit to the well-being of the general public in terms of socialization and support diversity but the overall community progression in Pakistan.