Description
Definition: 2-3 sentencesUrban surfaces, in the form of pavements (or sidewalks, footpaths etc.), refer to as any publicly negotiated horizontal planes, from carriageway edge to other thresholds (e.g., buildings, green spaces), on which legal rights, social meanings and economic values are inscribed and may be contested.
Intervention
A specific example of a point of friction/opportunity involving pavements would be 'cafe culture'. Generally, 'café culture’ is perceived as being beneficial to surrounding area. For the owner of that cafe, they are able to have outdoor seating and enliven the surrounding public space; it also generates profits for them. However, in setting up a cafe, the public space becomes privatised, with the owner often only having to pay a small licence fee for this privlege. Furthermore it is the public sector that is responsible for the maintenance of that pavement through taxpayers' money, even though the public space is no longer available to use by non-paying members of the public. Thus, while the cafe and its ensuing culture can be seen as something positive (i.e., potentially creating a third space for socialising), issues of accessibility and equity may be prevalent.
Misconception
A common misperception about urban surfaces, particularly pavements, is that they are residual spaces that do not matter and should not be considered. In fact, we believe pavements are often left over after the surface is planned, design, financed, constructed, regulated and maintained, without much thought about how they are used or appreciated within communities and cities. Rather than think about pavements as 'people movers' that are merely supporting walkability, we would like to see pavements as supporting 'stayability' and healthy lingering. In doing so, we wanted to ask the following questions:
-How can we enhance community resilience, inclusivity and sense of place through pavements?
-Are there new funding models that can make pavements more economically viable for the public and private sector?
-Can we reimagine, redesign and co-produce (with communities, with designers and planners, with local authorities) innovative pavement interventions?
-Can we create a 'stayability index' as a supplement to existing walkability indices?
| Period | 13 Oct 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Urban Surfaces Research Network Workshop |
| Event type | Workshop |
| Conference number | 4th |
| Degree of Recognition | International |