Public Spaces in the context of the networked citizen and multicultural societies

This chapter addresses the new condition of public culture emerging at the nexus of urban design, cultural practices, public participation and digital media platforms. Artistic and cultural events are increasingly staged outside institutional walls, and these contemporary uses of public spaces are transforming the modes of spectatorship, consumption and cultural production. Yet, while there is a boom in the construction of arts precincts, not all precincts succeed in stimulating these ambient forms of public inhabitation and cultural democratisation. To understand this new phenomenon and the challenges it poses for both urban design and cultural programming in places such as Melbourne and Singapore, a new approach in the design of public spaces is required, working alongside the development of cultural production and the interpretation of public engagement. The chapter identifies not only the emergence of new modes of public conduct and artistic content, but also proposes new modes of engagement and evaluation of public culture.