City Space Architecture is pleased to announce the sixth edition of the international, interdisciplinary academic conference “Past Present and Future of Public Space”, to be held on 7-9 July 2026, in a hybrid format. The conference continues a long-term commitment to advancing knowledge, debate, and action on public space as a key resource for more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable cities.
The 2024 edition, organised ten years after the first conference, marked an important anniversary in this trajectory. It brought together scholars, practitioners, policy-makers, artists, and activists worldwide, reaffirming the relevance of public space as a laboratory for innovation, civic engagement, and social justice, and consolidating a global network of collaborations initiated in 2014.
In 2026, the conference will open a new phase in this conversation, addressing pressing contemporary challenges and exploring how public space can support new forms of participation, care, and collective imagination.
The Past Present and Future of Public Space conference series has established itself as a leading international forum for examining the evolving dynamics of urban public spaces.
Dr Luisa Bravo, Conference Chair
We are pleased to announce multiple open calls for the 2026 conference. These calls invite diverse perspectives and methodologies, continuing our tradition of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between academia, practice, policy-making and artistic expression in the field of public space.
Research Abstracts
For research contributions exploring perspectives and approaches to public space.
Public Space Research Awards
For Master’s and PhD theses, recognising outstanding interdisciplinary research in public space studies.
Public Space Design Awards
For university students (undergraduate and master’s) worldwide, in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, and related fields, addressing contemporary design challenges.
Public Space Art Awards
For installations and performances that reimagine human interactions in public space, open to artists, collectives, and interdisciplinary practitioners.
Public Space Short Film Awards
For short films, celebrating cinematic explorations of civic life in cities
Read the full announcement here.
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