Abstract :
Neighborhood space in many contemporary residential communities, particularly in Third World countries, often has the appearance of no manʹs land. This is because public space in the contemporary city, in all its tidiness, is thought of as a secondary space, owned neither by the city nor by the individual. It does not invite one to be or remain there. This paper investigates the characteristics of neighborhood space in Abu-Nuseir, a recently built residential community in Jordan. The investigation draws on previous research findings and general observations, as well as two sources of information, namely interviews with a sample of residents living in four residential blocks in Abu-Nuseir, and observations of people activities in open spaces and the design characteristics of the neighborhood open spaces. It explains that public space in Abu-Nuseir is designed only as a secondary space, not appropriate to acquire personal meaning. It examines the premises required for reclaiming public space, and it focuses on the question of how neighborhood space can become a meaningful territory that will serve inhabitants. This paper explains a number of ingredients that are responsible for making open spaces appropriate for users, and that are useful for evaluating existing neighborhood open spaces in Abu-Nuseir. The consideration of such ingredients can also be useful for designing open spaces in residential areas in general. This includes use and user diversity, accessibility, participation/modification, real and symbolic control, ground floor-open space relationship, ecological quality, and conflict. The paper concludes that designing neighborhood open spaces is about giving people genuine involvement and real participation in shaping and developing their communities and neighborhoods. The professional should no longer be the sole repository of wisdom.
