THE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNING PUBLIC SPACES IN GERMANY ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE CITY OF HANNOVER

Abstract

In Germany, public space and its use are thought to be full of conflicts: festivalization vs. everyday quality, advertising vs. urban design, commerce vs. culture, drivers vs. strollers, demonstrators vs. tourists, private use vs. general accessibility, spontaneous, temporary appropriation vs. permanent order, and design The often conflicting expectations – also of women and men or old and young people – about public space are an expression of the increasingly heterogeneous nature of urban society. In terms of design, the pendulum swings between nostalgic kitsch, cool modern design and aesthetic neglect. In recent years, the pressure and overload of private and public advertising, road and information signs, retail and restaurant furniture and telecommunications equipment have increased. The generally accepted indicator, the agreement about what quality of form is in public space, seems to be largely lost.  Too often only the city center is seen as a public space in need of planning and political attention. Main roads or district and district centers are lost from sight, let alone commercial areas. Demographic changes, a smaller, older and brighter urban population make new demands on public space, as a place where different cultures and increasingly differentiated lifestyles meet, as a place for the integration of urban society. So there is a need for action. It is not about uniform rules for the use and design of public spaces, nor about the illusion of ideal and consistent planning. Rather, it is about criteria of social and aesthetic quality, about what is appropriate in each city and each district, which should be developed and discussed in dialogue with residents, users and the public.