Despite its importance, public space has not been given the attention it deserves in literature and, more importantly, in policy and action at the local level. For this reason, and also in keeping with the mandate given by its governing body, UN-Habitat, in cooperation with the Istituto Nazionale di Urbanistica (INU) and other partners, have put together this “Global Public Space Toolkit” – a user- friendly guide to provide cities, and particularly those with high rates of demographic growth and limited financial resources, with actionable ideas on how to improve the availability, quality and distribution of good public spaces.
The Toolkit will be a practical reference for cities to implement principles, policy recommendations and development initiatives on public space. It will also serve the purpose of stimulating the involvement of the citizenry and civil society in securing, developing and managing public space in the city.