The role of socio-spatial features on the perception of publicness : the case of urban transit spaces

Abstract

Publicness is the characteristic of a space segment indicating its ability to relate to public. Perception of publicness depends on various components of spaces such as ownership pattern, management model and spatial features. Socio-spatial features are taken as observable social, spatial and physical characteristics of public spaces, answering to the needs of the public. This study aims to investigate the relationship between spatial features of the built environment and their contribution to the perception of publicness through the case of urban transit spaces. Do socio-spatial features affect the perception of publicness, and if so, how do their effects vary for different user groups are the main research questions. The field survey was conducted in Ankara Intercity Bus Station (ASTI) as an urban transit space. Findings indicate that socio-spatial features involving facilities and inclusiveness of the space are the main factors which seem to affect the overall perception of publicness; although none of the characteristics of user groups such as age, gender and frequency of use of that space was found to have a direct effect on it