Providing Public Space in a Contemporary Metropolis: Dilemmas and Lessons from London and Hong Kong

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Claudio De Magalhães (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London) Louie Sieh (Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong)

Providing Public Space in a Contemporary Metropolis

Dilemmas and Lessons from London and Hong Kong

Claudio De Magalhães (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London), Louie Sieh (Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong)

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English

Policy Press
09 December 2025

Regional government policies; Human geography; Urban & municipal planning

Series: Urban Policy, Planning and the Built Environment

Increasingly, public space provision and management are being transferred from the public sector to real estate developers, private sector organisations, voluntary groups and community bodies. Contrasting the more historical, horizontal character of London with the intense street life of high-rise Hong Kong, this book tells the story of the two cities' relationships with non-traditional forms of public space governance.

The authors consider the implications for the 'publicness' of these complex spaces and the challenges and impacts that different forms of provision have on those with a stake in them, and on the cities as a whole.

By: Claudio De Magalhães (Bartlett School of Planning University College London), Louie Sieh (Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong)
Imprint: Policy Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781447358862
ISBN 10: 1447358864
Series: Urban Policy, Planning and the Built Environment
Pages: 222
Publication Date: 09 December 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. Introduction 2. Conceptualising Public Space for Governance: A Complex Shared Common Good 3. The Nature of Publicness 4. The Governance and Management of Public Space 5. Public Space Management in London and Hong Kong 6. The Quantitative Challenges of Public Space Provision and Management 7. The Qualitative Challenges of Public Space Provision and Management: Quality and Responsiveness 8. Conclusions and the Sketch of a Practical Theory of Public Space Governance

Claudio De Magalhães is Head of the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London. Louie Sieh is Programme Leader for Architectural Studies at City University of Hong Kong.

Reviews for Providing Public Space in a Contemporary Metropolis: Dilemmas and Lessons from London and Hong Kong

“By analysing the challenges facing large metropolitan areas in providing and managing public space, Claudio de Magalhães and Louie Sieh have made a valuable contribution to the field of urbanism.” Ali Madanipour, Newcastle University “Claudio De Magalhães and Louie Sieh have written a milestone book on public space. It has everything: history, philosophy, realism, practicality, social theory, economics, impeccable logic and case study context. It is the book you need to read to reduce a complex and often muddled and polarised academic discussion into a crystal-clear set of propositions suitable for guiding design, planning and policy. It delivers the holy grail in urban studies and design: explanatory theory that can be used predictively.” Chris Webster, University of Hong Kong