Urbanity of Justice

Cities and their complex urban forms are full of both perils and promises. The story of Gillett Square, located in the Dalston neighborhood of London, is one of bottom-up, incremental growth fueled by diversity, public engagement, micro-entrepreneurship, and a “response to the minor and the everyday” Examining the highly sequestered urban form of contemporary Las Vegas, the author argues that city administrations, urban developers, and dominant narratives often prioritize the economic boom and spatial privileges of the city's frontstage, frequently at the expense of its low-key backstage. In the context of New York City's historical urban evolution, contemporary debates on the meaning and function of the public realm and how it could be better shaped with the power of hindsight and improved knowledge of psychological wellbeing are a significant focus of contemporary urban design research and practice.