Der Wandel öffentlicher Räume

Der Wandel öffentlicher Räume unter dem Einfluss informeller Handlungs- und Nutzungsstrukturen. Forschungsprojekt im Rahmen der architektonisch urbanistischen Forschungsinitiative der TUM, urbanlandscape. Stipendiat der Leonhard Lorenz Stiftung. 

The change of public spaces under the influence of informal structures of activity and utilization.

This research work is focussing on the change of public spaces in the urban structure in city of Havana. 
Due to the political and economical system of Cuba its urban space appears as a less versatile one. This environment causes the inhabitants to  make use of the transitory context of public and private spaces to pursue their needs which otherwise – in democracies - are followed up in the urban space. Havana’s special conditions allows the utilization of private spaces for the purpose of public interest – a phenomenon which can be called „Veröffentlichisierung“. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the correlations of the change of public space which is unique in Havanna.

In many parts of Havana the public space is subject to severe restrictions and controls.  They result from the politico-economical system, a rigid definition of monumental protection (World Heritage Site), accompanied by commercialisation of the preserved cityscape for the purpose of tourism. Consequently Havanna’s inhabitants estalish scopes for develoment within former private spheres.
Within the framework of Havanna’s peculiarity it is observable that the changing public space serve as a sphere for economy (micro-economics), culture (theatre, music), politics, and religion. An example is that empty stores are used for school sport, and former garages are used for neighbourly help and initiatives. 

With regard to Havana it is evident that a social mixture among the inhabitants has emerged in the public space – advantaged by its econonomic attractiveness. This makes an important difference in comparision to other systems in which an increasing „Verräumlichung“ of social inequalities withdraws a crucial criteria of the public space – namely the social mixture. 
The focus of urban design on the production of global cityscapes as a branding of a city is contrary to the assumption that public space can serve as a distinguishing characteristic  in a globalized urban development.

According to these observations and findings I hypothesize that Havanna’s urban space is informally „veröffentlichisiert“. In informal spaces Havanna’s inhabitants create scopes for development which every vivid and therewith changing society depends on. 
The aim of the phenomenological analysis and the theoretical reflection is to determine the above mentioned and assumed specific patterns of Havana’s public spaces.