2021 | AA Files 78

Published in AA Files 78, the Architectural Association’s journal of record, ‘The Powers of Public Space’, written by Madeleine Kessler and Manijeh Verghese, explores how the pandemic revealed both the fragility and resilience of public space. From parks and streets to libraries, it reflects on the vital role these spaces play in shaping community life. Drawing on the research behind The Garden of Privatised Delights, their exhibition for the British Pavilion at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, the article examines how access, ownership and use of public space might be reimagined beyond the binary of public and private. It calls for new frameworks that unite policy, design and everyday use to create more equitable, adaptable and welcoming spaces for all.