2020 A Year
Without
Public Space

2020 passes in a blink. 

COVID-19 completely changes our world, our work, our school and our daily life routine. COVID-19 also changes the public space where we for the first time have to stay away with during global lockdown, spaces where we perhaps took for granted for joyous gatherings, block parties, after-school hangouts, parks where we share experiences, exchange a thought, bump into neighbours and colleagues, have become cold spaces for disseminating hygiene items and food supplies, testing cases, or otherwise deserted and fenced off. Yet, at the same time, new spaces emerge, bike lanes, pedestrianized zones, pop-up installations, eateries and street stalls have found their ways in many cities and administrations. 

Here at the Journal of Public Space and Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), we public space scholars, practitioners, and activists across the globe have spent the year exploring an array of aspects of public space, believing that we can build social and health resilience by establishing an open environment for discussion and learning while taking advantage of technology and virtual platforms that many can currently access for free. As the pandemic moves across different continents and urban conditions, we have shared experiences from far and wide via weekly webinars, international sympoisum, and cross-country cross-sector research.