Assessing the publicness of three streets in ethnically-diverse neighbourhoods

ABSTRACT

Public space is the domain of interest for urban designers, and streets represent one of its most significant forms. In multicultural societies, public space users come from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds with varying interests and needs. Therefore, streets should serve as inclusive spaces designed for use by a wide-ranging public. While streets are inherently public, the questions regarding the extent of their publicness and their role in promoting multiculturalism remain significant. This paper aims to evaluate and compare the degree of “publicness” exhibited by streets situated within ethnically diverse neighbourhoods. Drawing upon dimensions of publicness established by previous models and informed by observations and interviews, a set of criteria has been selected. The core dimensions of publicness encompass accessibility, management, and inclusiveness. The study assesses and compares three streets located in diverse neighbourhoods across New Zealand based on these criteria. The findings illuminate varying levels of publicness within the studied streets, providing insights into the key factors that impact the promotion of multiculturalism in urban settings. The results indicate that the publicness of a multicultural street is significantly influenced by the types of businesses clustered in the area, their associated characteristics, and the overall design of the built environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Streets
• ethnically-diverse neighbourhoods
• publicness
• cultural diversity
• public space

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).