Public Space, Public Life
UrbDP 498A / 598A
Summer, full-term, 3 credits
M/W 9:30-11am, Smith 305
Instructor: Peter Dunn (ptdunn@uw.edu)
Who are public spaces for? And who are they made by? What role do city squares play in a democracy? What kinds of parks do we love, and which ones make us uncomfortable? How do strangers watch each other in the city? What are the rules of behavior, and how are they enforced? Is a mall or a coffee shop a public space? Does it matter if everyone is looking at their screens? Do protests belong in the streets? Do people experiencing homelessness? How can architectural design or programmed activities change the character of public spaces?
This summer class will explore these questions in two ways. First, we will read texts and examine cases that illustrate how public spaces have been theorized, created, and studied. Second, students will do their own creative fieldwork in Seattle spaces to practice looking at, inhabiting, and intervening in public space. Undergraduates should register for URBDP 498A, graduate students should register for URBDP 598A.
