On Wednesday, Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris' Public Spaces class met in Downtown Los Angeles for a tour of notable public spaces, with an emphasis on the corporate plazas that were built as part of major office developments in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. As those familiar with Anastasia's research know, these privately owned and managed plazas raise questions about the future of public space in an economic and political environment where cities are relying on increasingly on new development to provide for their residents' open space needs.Users of these plazas can expect to be subject to restrictions on their activities that go above and beyond what we expect from a conventional neighborhood park, and to be scrutinized and monitored, especially if they push the boundaries of what is acceptable. At the same time, some (though not all) plazas are very attractive and well-maintained, and serve their primary users--office workers--reasonably well. Still, it's worth thinking through the implications of having public spaces that aren't really public, and how their management might be regulated to make sure that they serve users who don't fit into the corporate mold.
