This text examines the design and use of public space such as streets, squares, and parks in the cities of contemporary Asia Pacific, which has experienced the fastest urban and economic growth in the world during the last three decades of the 20th century. This collection of 18 essays, all written by experts in their own fields, provides first-hand reports on the unique characteristics of Asia Pacific public places (as compared to those in Western cities), current problems and debates, and proposed design/planning solutions. The discussions cover all important aspects of the subject matter, such as the creation of indigenous identity amid the tide of globalization; the search for design/planning strategies to address high density, mobility, sustainability, and other functional issues; and the proper roles of the government, local community, and privatization in the development of public space.
