In my last post, I jumped straight into the nostalgia of what I considered one of the best working public spaces in Kigali, if not the best, but I overlooked something important: defining what a public space is in the first place.

Today, I want to talk about this topic in a deeper manner, but I want to keep this less of a professional jargon and more of an organic and authentic way for everyone to both understand and appreciate it, at least to a fraction of how I feel about this topic.

What is a Public Space?

The simple answer? Spaces meant for the public to use. 

But that doesn’t really narrow it down; I bet you could’ve deduced that much from the word itself! So what exactly does public space entail? A school is a space to be used by the public, but does that make it a public space? Not quite.

In our very busy routines, we often need space to breathe and ground ourselves. That can look like many things; some people go jogging or for walks to reset, some go for meditation, others go for reading books, others go for painting, while others simply want to do nothing more than sit and scroll— you get the point. 

While some people choose to do those things in the comfort of their homes, and others can afford a bit more luxury and pay for dedicated spaces for that, where does the common person on a lunch break walking around town sit to enjoy a bit of calm without having to break the bank?

Where do people who want to read but still want to enjoy the outdoors go? Where do protesters take their marches?(I am aware this is not such a common practice in our beautiful country but it still stands as a good example). 

And where in cities are citizens allowed to feel a sense of belonging and ownership in society equally; the spots that no one person can claim they own because all of us are equally entitled to them? 

Those are your public spaces! Think roads(like car free zones, jogging trails, etc), parks, playgrounds, community centers, plazas, etc.

In short, public spaces are the living rooms of our cities: open, shared, and taken care of by everyone.

Why Do We Even Need Public Spaces?

Apart from the obvious that I have mentioned before, public spaces are a large part of the social ecosystem. They’re not just useful for resetting or grounding ourselves or relaxing after hectic days.

They create a hierarchy in the planning of neighborhoods, communities, and the city. Imagine if you lived 30 minutes away from every facility you needed like a market, school, hospital, church, etc! How would you be able to meet your neighbors or casually run into friends?

Public spaces allow for small, unexpected moments that can become cherished memories. I love whenever I’m walking around town and see people just sitting on benches taking shade under trees. 

Or seeing parents smile at each other, friendships waiting to blossom as their kids play together. These little unscripted interactions are what makes the community, and public spaces are like the needle that allows those threads to weave up the community fabric.

What Actually Makes a Public Space Good/Successful

To me–and to many others I hope–a successful public space is alive. It invites you in today, makes you stay a while longer, and calls you back tomorrow!

1. Accessibility

What’s the point of having a beautiful park if only a certain demographic can get into it? Accessibility is the very first test of whether a public space is truly public and works.

Think about it: if the only way to access a certain public space was strictly through stairs and no ramps, how many people would be discouraged to visit it? It would instantly exclude people who use wheelchairs, parents with strollers, and even older people who have a hard time climbing stairs.

The thing about accessibility is it’s not just about the technical design. I remember when the Nyandungu Eco-tourism Park first opened, it used to be a popular place for people from all walks of life. 

But the moment they added an entrance fee(one that was increased later too, mind you!), people started not wanting to go there as often. And I remember people from the community nearby complaining that the wetland used to be free for them to access!

In my opinion, a true public space is free for everyone to enter. And another aspect of accessibility is the location of the public space. If the only way to reach a public space is through long drives from every corner, then that is a failure of accessibility design.

2. Safety

Have you ever noticed how people avoid dark narrow alleys, no matter how short the shortcut is, especially at night? 

Safety isn’t just about adding fences to protect the property, or having security guards regularly patrol the area. Adding railings near ponds so that kids don’t fall in, strategically placing lamp posts to light up alleys that can be overshadowed by plants, and adding signage that can let the person have a sense of bearing, among others, are all safety measures.

Safety is also found in comfortability. Shaded sitting spots for sunny days will be more frequented , and well-maintained paths that are easy to navigate will always be preferred. A safe and comfortable space doesn’t just get visited, it becomes loved!

3. Inclusivity

Earlier this year, one of my girlfriends visited the House of Disabled People’s Organization in Copenhagen-Denmark, and she said something about it that really resonates with me: when you cater for the most marginalized people in your community while designing and building, then you cater for everyone.

“When you cater for the most marginalized people in your community while designing and building, then you cater for everyone”

~Divine Ikirezi

I mentioned before something about accessibility and how having stairs but no ramps could discourage so many demographics, but it isn’t just about accessibility. A strong public space(and honestly any spaces in general), should reflect the diversity of its community.

An inclusive space takes into account not only the person in a wheelchair, the elderly, the visually impaired, the people with hearing disabilities, the people who struggle with mental disabilities and cognitive issues, but also the interest of children, teenagers, and adults alike.

It makes space for cultural expression through allowing space for traditions and performances to exist among other things, and it becomes a social equalizer that prevents any group from feeling excluded because of social or economic backgrounds.

Using brailled paving on sidewalks, color coding spaces to help those with attention deficit and cognitive disabilities, offering elevator opening buttons adapted to foot level, adding audio descriptions to certain areas, integrating empty spots for wheelchairs in bench design, and adding ramps/slopes on curbs near bus stops are some intentional design choices that reflect inclusivity.

At the end of the day, when people from all walks of life can access a space, share it, and feel a sense of belonging, it becomes a leap in strengthening social bonds and empathy.

4. Sustainability

Great public spaces carry the soul of their community.

Sustainability isn’t just about intentionally planting a certain plant species, or choosing eco-friendly materials. That is actually the bare minimum, especially in today’s world, and especially in our beautiful green country.

I talked about designing for memories as heritage in my last post. A good public space is able to capture the local culture and/or history in a way that imprints not only on the long term memory, but also in a way that makes future generations proud.

A public garden, mural, or architectural element can become a symbol of identity that will forever remind people who they are and where they come from. 

Think of the Byodo-in temple in Japan, or the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, even the Jardin des Tuileries in France, or even just the Timbuktu city of Mali, or better yet Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza.

Granted some of these may not be public spaces(as you have to pay to visit them, and most started out as private properties), but you get the picture of how these hold so much rich history. And that to me is a part of sustainability, beyond ecological designs, and maintenance.

5. Activities

The best public spaces don’t just exist with benches and shaded spots, they also encourage activity.

This can be through providing supporting structures like playgrounds, open gardens where people can picnic, cycling lanes, jogging trails, walls that can be painted by people, a corner on the street where musicians can perform, decks overlooking serene landscapes for yoga, skating areas, etc.

Bringing engagement to a public space is what breathes life into it, and makes the spaces become important for more than just passive use. 

A good public space will not only evolve with its people, but it can also expose them to new fun activities.

6. Aesthetics

As an architecture student, or an architect in general, you are trained to prioritize the function of spaces. What we fail to admit is how important a space looks and feels to the public is.

Aesthetics aren’t just vanity–they are in most cases the biggest reason people can choose to experience a space. When you place a beautifully designed bench under a pretty pergola, it can invite people in more than a regular degular bench under a tree.

The Miracle Garden in Dubai is one picturesque place that offers aesthetic pleasure to the point that it attracts tourists and is a bucket list place for many people around the world. 

Good aesthetics also tell stories. From the way buildings frame a plaza, to the choice of materials on a pathway, to the selection of colors in a playground, to the arrangement of plants, every detail adds to the identity of the space.

When you are intentional with your choice of aesthetics, people don’t just pass through; they pause, take time to appreciate, feel proud of experiencing such a space, and most probably take pictures to freeze those beautiful sights.

Looking Ahead: The future of Public Spaces In Rwanda

I have said quite a deal about the ideal public space, and I can still say more about it, but beyond all that, one question lingers: what will our public spaces in Rwanda look like in ten or twenty years?

“The success of a public space is not measured in meters of concrete or acres of grass”

~Benitha Mugiraneza

Will they remain open and free and lively, or will commercial pressures turn them into tidy, sterile, check-in zones where every corner comes with a price tag?

I won’t reiterate the importance of these spaces to our communities, for the purpose of not being repetitive, but I must say: they are the souls that we need to protect.

The future of public spaces in Rwanda lies within our hands–in the choices we make from how we design them to how we maintain them to how we cherish and protect them.

We can imagine spaces that embrace technology without losing their essence: installing WIFI and charging stations on public benches, tactile kinetic paving that both encourage movement while producing energy from the movements. 

But as we imagine those successful spaces, we cannot ignore an outcome that would fail us: areas designed with efficiency and profitability over humanity.

The challenge, then, is simple but profound: to build spaces that serve people first. Spaces that invite you to pause, interact with the space and the people in it, engage with creativity and fun, and feel a sense of belonging. Livable spaces that are lovable too.

Because in the end, the success of a public space is not measured in meters of concrete or acres of grass. It’s measured in moments, in the lived experience, and above all, in the likelihood of frequency in returning to said space.

And it is these very moments that tell the story of a city. The story of who we are, and who we hope to become.

A Question For my Readers

I have shared my own thoughts and perspectives shaped by what I have learned, read, and what has been shared with me by different people, but I want to know what you think?

Is there a characteristic that I left out that is important? Is there any takeaway that touched you and you’d like to reflect more on? Is there a food for thought you want to add on here?

Please feel free to share in the comments. Let me know what other topics you want to hear my thoughts on too. It was such a pleasure writing this piece, I hope to see you again soon, ciao!