Public spaces in ancient period.

Public spaces in ancient period.

1. Public Spaces In Ancient Period

2. Content Introduction Importance/Significance of public spaces Features of successful public spaces Social value of public spaces The case of Greece The case of Rome Evolution of public spaces overtime Conclusion

3. Introduction A public space is a social space that is generally open and accessible to people of all levels of Roads (including the pavement), public squares, parks and beaches are typically considered public space. To a limited extent, government buildings which are open to the public, such as public libraries are public spaces, although they tend to have restricted areas and greater limits upon use. Although not considered public space, privately owned buildings or property visible from sidewalks and public thoroughfares may affect the public visual landscape, for example, by outdoor advertising.

4. Recently , the concept of Shared space has been advanced to enhance the experience of pedestrians in public space jointly used by automobiles and other vehicles . The term 'public space' is also often misconstrued to mean other things such as 'gathering place', which is an element of the larger concept of social space. PUBLIC SPACE IS NOT ALWAYS A GATHERING PLACE The ancient Greek democracy could not take place without the possibility of the urban elite coming together in public spaces to discuss the affairs of the city-state.

5. The Value of Public Space Public space is all around us, a vital part of everyday urban life: the streets we pass through on the way to school or work, the places where children play, or where we encounter nature and wildlife; the local parks in which we enjoy sports, walk the dog and sit at lunchtime; or simply somewhere quiet to get away for a moment from the bustle of a busy daily life. In other words, public space is our open-air living room, our outdoor leisure centre .

6. The Economic Value of Public Space A good public landscape also offers very clear benefits to the local economy in terms of stimulating increased house prices, since house-buyers are willing to pay to be near green space. The positive impact on property prices Good for business Being close to public space adds economic value Creating tax revenue

7. The Impact on Physical and Mental Health The health benefits of walking Green spaces and long life A place for sport The importance of nature and ‘green exercise’ The environment and mental health ‘Obesity already costs more in public health terms, and will overtake smoking as Britain’s biggest killer in 10-15 years if current trends persist’.13 There is growing concern about the health of the nation and particularly that of our children and young people. A variety of research has identified these startling facts: 20 per cent of four-year-olds are overweight, and 8.5 per cent of six-year-olds and 15 per cent of 15-year-olds are obese.

8. The Benefits for Children and Young People The value for children with Attention Deficit Disorder Challenging play space Trees and grass are good for children Playtime is important Play is crucial for many aspects of children’s development, from the acquisition of social skills, experimentation and the confrontation and resolution of emotional crises, to moral understanding, cognitive skills such as language and comprehension, and of course physical skills. But increasing urbanisation has left our children with far fewer opportunities than previous generations to play freely outdoors and experience the natural environment.

9. Reducing Crime and Fear of Crime Secure spaces mean less crime Community gardens reduce crime The benefits of increased lighting Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester Grainger Town, Newcastle Fear of crime and, to a much lesser extent crime itself, can deter people, not just vulnerable groups, from using even good-quality public spaces. Children and young people, for example, are often prevented from using our parks, squares and streets because of their parents ’ fears about crime, whilst women often also face particular concerns.

10. The Social Dimension of Public Space Public spaces are open to all, regardless of ethnic origin, age or gender, and as such they represent a democratic forum for citizens and society. When properly designed and cared for, they bring communities together, provide meeting places and foster social ties of a kind that have been disappearing in many urban areas. These spaces shape the cultural identity of an area, are part of its unique character and provide a sense of place for local communities . Promoting neighbourliness and social inclusion A venue for social events Public space generates community cohesion Green spaces are well used The social value of trees, plants and ‘natural areas

11. Value from Biodiversity and Nature The significant increase in hard surfacing and the reduction in green spaces lead to higher temperatures in towns and cities than in the surrounding countryside. This is known as the ‘heat island effect’.49 Vegetation whether in public spaces or private gardens – can help to redress this imbalance. The ‘park breeze’ and air quality Trees cool air and provide shade Nature and wildlife amongst the urban fabric

12. FEATURES OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL SPACES Access and availability Good physical access, welcoming spaces and extended opening hours. Invitations by peers and others embedded in social networks to encourage use; Exchange-based relationships moving beyond consumerism to participation in the exchange of goods and services. Moving beyond mono-cultures encouraging diverse groups and activities to share common spaces.

13. EXTRA FEATURES The study of markets found that in addition to accessibility, the essential attributes of successful markets included. Having features that attracted visitors to the site. An active and engaged community of traders to provide goods for sale and contribute to the social scene. Opportunities to linger through the provision of cafés and food vans or ‘comfort zones’. Avoiding over-regulation of design and space, as security and well-being are more likely to grow out of active use. Choreography of spaces by discreet good management while also leaving room for self-organization.

14. Case Of Greece History of public spaces often begin with the Greek agora , as many regard it as the quintessential public space. The Greek agora was, first, a central market, but also “a place of assembly for the town’s people and a setting in which ceremonies and spectacles were performed ”. Agora The Ancient Agora of Classical Athens is the best-known example of an ancient Greek agora, located to the northwest of the Acropolis and bounded on the south by the hill of the Areopagus and on the west by the hill known as the Agoraios Kolonos , also called Market Hill.

15. Case Of Greece In Athens the agora was at first surrounded by private houses, but later temples and sanctuaries were built bordering it, as well as stoa , or covered walkways and. It is impossible to characterize the agora as either a religious, civic, or political space, as it brought together all those activities. While this was surely a place where spectacles were viewed and rituals carried out, the agora was equally a place where powers were challenged and the setting for prosaic daily acts.

16. Case Of Greece Nearly every city of ancient Greece had an agora – meaning meeting place – by about 600 B.C., usually located near the centre of town, the agora was easily accessible to every citizen, with a large central square for market stalls bound by public buildings. The agora of Athens – the hub of ancient Greek civilization – was the size of several football fields and saw heavy traffic every single day of the week. Women didn't often frequent the agora, but every other character in ancient Greece passed through its columns: politicians, criminals, philosophers and traders, aristocrats, scientists, officials and slaves. Not only did the ancient Greeks go to the agora to pick up fresh meat and some wool for a new robe, but also to meet and greet with friends and colleagues. Akin to the modern high-powered lunch, much business got done in the casual setting. The 'School of Athens' fresco by Raphael, housed in the Vatican, is meant to represent the Greek agora and all the great minds that passed through it.

17. Case Of Greece Some of the world's most important ideas were born and perfected within the confines of the Athenian agora including, famously, the concept of democracy. Regular Athenian citizens had the power to vote for anything and everything, and were fiercely proud of their democratic ways. No citizen was above the law – laws were posted in the agora for all to see – or was exempt from being a part of the legal process. In fact, Athenians considered it a duty and a privilege to serve on juries. Both the city law courts and senate were located in the agora to demonstrate the open, egalitarian nature of Athenian life. The Athenian democratic process, whereby issues were discussed in a forum and then voted on, is the basis for most modern systems of governance.

18. Case Of Greece How Greek Agoras Lost Their Importance as Public Space With the arrival of the Renaissance in the early thirteenth century, Europe saw the ascent of specific professions: architect, painter, sculptor- all these became recognized and respected and were no longer simply trades. As a result, the craft guilds- woodworkers, masons, cloth makers who dominated the Middle Ages, diminished in importance. Since sculptors, architects, and other professionals did not use the agoras to market their work, these spaces became less important than before.

19. Case Of Greece How Greek Agoras Lost Their Importance as Public Space Lasting well into the nineteenth century, the agoras continued their function as public markets and venues for the crafts guilds. However, in the latter part of the nineteenth century and continuing into the twentieth, manufacturing and industry came to dominate European culture . As people moved to the cities to work in factories, the agoras in the smaller towns waned. Those in the larger cities survived, but, partly because time was more limited, they continued to decline. Eventually, they shrank further because many of the consumer goods offered for sale were machine made, which led to the rise of retail stores and mass merchandising .

20. Case Of Rome  FORUM A forum was a central public open space in a Roman  municipium , or any  civitas Primarily used as a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the  stoas  used for open stalls. Other large public buildings were also sited at the edges or close by. Many forums were constructed at remote locations ,along a road and magistrate responsible for the road, in which case the forum was the only settlement at the site and had its own name, such as  Forum Livi .

21. Every city had at least one forum of varying size. In addition to its standard function as a marketplace, a forum was a gathering place of great social significance, and often the scene of diverse activities, including political discussions and debates, rendezvous, meetings, etc. The best known example is the  Trajan’s Forum,, the earliest of several in Rome. Trajan’s Forum, Rome; designed by Apollodorus of Damascus

22. Forums In New Roman Towns In new Roman towns the forum was usually located at, or just off, the intersection of the main north-south and east-west streets (the  cardo  and  decumanus ). All forums would have a Temple of Jupiter at the north end, and would also contain other temples, as well as the basilica. The Temple Of Saturn

23. Basilica A large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a law court or for public assemblies. St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican city- there is large open public space for gathering of 15,000 to over 80,000 people St. Peter's Basilica in the vatican city

24. Piazza A Piazza is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Most piazzas are hardscapes suitable for open markets, music concerts, political rallies, and other events that require firm ground. Being centrally located, piazza are usually surrounded by small shops such as bakeries, meat markets, cheese stores, and clothing stores.

25. Piazza Della Rotunda The Piazza Della Rotunda is situated in front of pantheon had over the centuries become choked with a maze of sheds and small shops that had grown up around pantheons columns.

26. Evolution of Public Spaces The main function of ancient agora, forums , piazzs and markets were to provide: a marketplace, a place of political assemblies, and a place for public ceremonies and rituals. This functional integration, however, started to collapse with the growing size of the city, where it was physically impossible to rely on a single centre. As the places of work and living were separated, and as movement across the large urban space became inevitable, the centre’s hold started to weaken, and with it the role of its public spaces. It is now unimaginable to have the same degree of integration of economic, political and cultural functions in a single space. This was perhaps the biggest challenge that the modern period has posed to the historical role of the urban public spaces. As each function was changed in nature or was relocated to other sites, the public space lost one aspect of its functions one after the other.

27. One of the key losses of the public space was its political role. In ancient Greece ,all the public affairs were discussed in public spaces. But with the change of time all the political debates and political issues are discussed in political institutions and through the mass media. In new cities Rising tides of crime make some public spaces uninviting, places to avoid rather than to enter and enjoy. The nineteenth century witnessed major efforts to improve the quality of urban life by introducing public parks and boulevards, , where nature was brought into the city for hygiene and aesthetics. In contrast, the late twentieth century an erosion of these public spaces, and hence a decline in the quality of urban life. Decline in public spending meant unsafe and unkempt parks, badly lit streets and unpleasant public squares. A city without its public spaces is not a city, but a collection of fragments.

28. Conclusion Public spaces like the ancient agora, can support multiple activities integrated in one place and became more a part of everyday life . They are public gathering spaces as well as recreation spaces for all the people of the surrounding region. They serve the hopes and aspirations of the residents are not just "green spaces" or "sports venues“. They integrate well with the urban design of their locale. They have a natural component that is designed in a pleasing manner, and is of sufficient size to attract the ongoing interest of the citizens. They have several activities in the same place – from farmers markets to music, art and cultural festivals. They have a religious component, implied if not precisely stated.

29. Thank You SOMANSHU PATKAR – 141110208 SHIVAM PATEL – 141110206 VISHAL CHAURASIYA – 141110211