SPACE&SHAPE

The Open City must be participatory, energetic, creative, reflective. Change in the Open City must actively involve the user: both residents and transients, groups long existing and newcomers. It must be based in context, respecting culture and its own inimitable conditions. The Open City is a shared space, welcoming to pregnant mothers, cranky old men, and angsty teenagers alike. It should be a city of tolerance and of understanding. Urban space should not be dominated or exploited. Planners of the Open City shouldn’t treat it like a Master Vision or Final Project. Planners should encourage use through universal design, community involvement, and playful infrastructure. Users of the open city should be able to appropriate space and derive personal narratives from it. Spaces should be both surprising and comforting. Streets of the Open City should be dynamic and provide a range of atmospheres and experiences. The Open City must belong to all.