Abstract:
Urban public spaces form an integral part of city life and its built environment, facilitating
space for formal and informal social gatherings, relaxation and entertainment. In this
digital era, the traditional use of public space as a place of social gathering has been
gradually modified due to the development of portable Information & Communication
Technology (ICT) devices. Its ability to retain constant connection via digital media has
resulted in the creation of virtual public spaces. On the other hand, the outbreak of Covid
19 pandemic has changed the initial use of urban public spaces due to physical distancing
and other strict guidelines, and has compromised many public interactions we were
accustomed to.
This study aims to explore the shift in social behaviour and formation of private realms
due to the usage of portable ICT devices in public spaces and the physical elements which
facilitate these shifts. Further it aims to understand design considerations that could be
used to facilitate social distancing practices. In exploring the research question, an
ethnographical method has been adopted. The chosen urban public spaces were studied
through observational survey, activity mapping, photographic survey, and field
interviews.
The findings show a distinctive intervention of these devices with social behaviour in public
spaces. It shows the importance of addressing the urban public space in terms of these
marked shifts based on its typology and functional characteristics.
Further, some of the above findings throw light on the future prospects of urban public
spaces which are currently in limbo due to social distancing practices. This paper suggests
that ICT devices can become a useful tool in maintaining an active public interaction and
social inclusion in countering the adversities on society brought upon by drastic preventive
regulatory actions in the face of an unprecedented event as experienced presently.
