Reclaiming and Remaking Public Space: Toward an Architecture for American Democracy

Democracy requires places where citizens can gather together to discuss the issues of the day and work on solving problems. In the past, architects recognized this and built public squares where citizens could assemble. In recent years, though, public space and civic interaction have declined radically. The suburban emphasis on the automobile and the shopping mall created a landscape with a minimum of public spaces. Some architects and developers, however, have caught on to the fact that a one‐dimensional landscape dedicated to shopping alone will never satisfy the many wants and needs humans have. If we are truly concerned with the state of American democracy, we should build a landscape that symbolizes our respect for the public realm and encourages the intermingling of citizens.