Spatial Theory Analyzis : On the Border of Private and Public Space

One of the foundations of the liveable downtown areas is the well-func-tioning ground floor zone on the border of private and public space. The aim of the study is to get to know the “urban ground floor” and to summarize the domestic and international technical literature of the topic. In addition, the establishment of a multi-scale typology of the characteristics of the ground floor zone on the basis of the contemporary urban planning literature. The analysis provides a historical overview of the urban ground floor from the perspectives of spatial, space use and space management from the Middle Ages to the present. It then groups the existing urban ground floor concepts according to the focus of the approach, based on the domestic and international technical literature. Finally, based on spatial, space use, and space management perspectives it explores the criteria of the human-scale urban ground floor grouped on the scales of the “neigh-bourhood,” “street,” and “building”. The study explores the diversity of urban ground floor structures. Never-theless, it highlights that the interpretations of the urban ground floor by thinkers opposed to modern architecture still provide a stable foun-dation today. Exploring the criteria of spatial theory, space use and space management on the urban ground floor helps to formulate theoretical and prac-tical, complex development responses. The study draws attention to the importance of continuous monitoring of the changes in space usage concerning the ground floor and the use of progressive tools of urban development and space management. It emphasizes the importance of a foresight strategy for the development of the ground floors, based on emerging local needs, existing functions, and, in addition to social and environmental aspects, management and economic aspects leaves scope.