Tres factores que construyen el espacio público en las ciudades del siglo XXI y dos casos de estudioel 22@ en Barcelona y el nuevo barrio de negocios de Qianjiang en Hangzhou

Resumen

The research developed for the doctoral thesis aims to answer the question of how the following analysis factors configure and condition the production of public space: the nature of urban governance and its actors; the framework of urbanism and its instruments; and the role of public space in the urban project. The hypotheses provided are that each of these factors contributes to the result of public space with greater or lesser intensity depending on the city's specific context and character. The paper aims to argue that these three factors condition the production of public space. Furthermore, we stress that its value as a functional, community and social space should not be valued only according to formal criteria and design trends, but also considering globally the complexity of the context in which it occurs and the interaction of these factors. To this end, two case studies have been selected in two very different urban settings, the 22@ area in Barcelona and the new business district of Qianjiang in Hangzhou. Associated with the three analysis factors, we will raise secondary hypotheses concerning urban governance and citizen participation, the planning framework and the character of urban design, and public space's role in constructing the urban form. Due to the characteristics of their current and historical urban profile, Barcelona and Hangzhou allow for an eloquent analysis through these three factors. Moreover, the selected cases in both cities allow for contextualizing the objective of the investigation. The choice of the two cases describes two action strategies in two different urban and disciplinary environments. The 22@ proposes an urban regeneration through the localization of activities of the postindustrial economy, linked to innovation, technology, education and services with high added value. The new neighbourhood of Qianjiang is an urban extension plan that seeks to build a new administrative and service centre, combined with a centre for business activity, financial services, metropolitan cultural facilities, and high-end housing. The choice of these two cases will allow us to analyze and reflect on the production of public space in two very different environments, from the point of view of urban governance, socio-spatial culture, urban praxis and its disciplinary maturity, as well as the priorities in the development of each city. Moreover, one city is located in the European context, and the other is located in the Asian context.