Reassessing Public Space Quality: Linking Governance, Participation, and Public Space Design in Spanish Cities

OpenAlex İngilizce

Purpose The aim of this article is to evaluate public space quality in three cities in Spain by examining the interconnections between legal, policy and institutional contexts, citizen participation processes and the design and implementation of public spaces across Spanish cities, identifying key challenges and offering recommendations for improving public space quality. Design/methodology/approach The study combines a literature review with interviews with 6 government officials and 7 academics in three Spanish cities (Valladolid, Madrid and Barcelona). Using an evaluative framework of public space quality focused on legal, institutional and political/policy contexts, it examines the relationship between citizen participation and public space design and implementation. Findings The results demonstrate considerable variations in approaches to evaluating public space quality. Academics emphasize the lack of meaningful public involvement and necessary design and implementation considerations, while government officials cite political, financial, and practical constraints. Although there are notable examples of progress, the overall approach remains fragmented impeded by bureaucratic rigidity, political interference, and the absence of context-specific tools to improve public space quality in three cases in Spain. Originality/value In many studies, public space quality is measured through the physical, social, economic, and environmental values offered by the space or based on user satisfaction, while the process of how the space was created is often neglected. This study, however, focuses on the context how the public space is produced -how participatory the process is, and which methods and approaches are employed in the design and implementation stages-in the evaluation of public space quality.