Changing public space: The recent redevelopment of Dutch city squares

Public spaces in Dutch city centres are increasingly subject to facelifts. The car parking that dominated city squares until the 1980s has been removed and replaced by modern street furniture, city stages, and an abundance of sidewalk cafés. At the same time, public spaces are more controlled by camera surveillance and strict regulation. Why and how do these makeovers occur? It has been the central aim of the present study to answer this question; that is, to elucidate the social antecedents (background) of the redevelopment of Dutch city squares and to chart its course (process). To this end,... Mehr ...