New Life in Public Squares

New Life in Public Squaresinvestigates the evolution of the public square within the urban form and its meaning to a city’s image. It explores what is driving investment in the creation of new or re-designed existing squares: the economic and social benefits, city image to attract tourism, investment and attracting major events.Taking a design practitioners perspective, a series of in-depth case studies, including discussions with clients and designers, on an international array of public squares will analyse and the use of public spaces and the impact they have on their immediate surroundings. It shows readers how quality design of public squares can be achieved and, importantly, how they can be delivered to enable positive changes in the way public spaces are used and experienced.

1. The Historic Development of the Square 2. A New Agenda for Public Squares 3. Re-design of Historic Squares 4. New Squares within Existing Urban Fabric 5. Squares Within New City Quarters 6. Extending the Experience of Cities 7. Squares that Reconfigure a City’s Structure 8. What We Have Learnt

Marie Burns is a qualified landscape architect, urban designer and transport planner who set up the consultancy Burns + Nice in 1997. Marie has designed and implemented many award-winning public realm schemes, including the awardwinning re-design of Leciester Square (London), Millennium Town Park (Jersey) and Leicester City Centre.