Quality of space through experience

This chapter explores the quality of public space through the lens of two analytical frameworks: François Dubet’s theory of social experience and Martina Löw’s spatial sociology. Drawing on Dubet’s proposition that social experience is shaped by the interplay of three distinct logics of action – integration, strategy, and subjectivation – the chapter asserts that the quality of public space hinges on the preservation and facilitation of this plurality. Spatial quality, therefore, is conceived in relational terms, arising from the dynamic tensions among these logics of action. Crucially, this perspective underscores that no single logic should dominate, obscure, or subsume the others, as such an imbalance would undermine the pluralistic core of public space. By intertwining Dubet’s and Löw’s theoretical approaches, the chapter offers a nuanced understanding of public space as a site where diverse logics of action coexist and interact to sustain its quality and inclusivity.