European Public Spaces

Paper Summary:

Describes two prominent examples of public space shaped by aesthetic & political forces: St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy & the ULM, a German design & art college. Detailed description of the Square, its architecture & sculptures, its evolution, its place as the center of Venetial social life. Describes architect Mies Van der Rohe's design for ULM; emphasis on environmental design.

From the Paper:

"Public space is shaped by a number of forces, but primary among them is the use to which the space will be put, the political forces able to make this work, the aesthetic forces prevalent at the time, and changes that might take place through history. The Piazza San Marco and the ULM are public spaces both shaped by prevailing political and aesthetic forces and developed for specific purposes, and Piazza San Marco has been reshaped by history, while the ULM has not been in existence long enough to be so affected by time, though there have been changes in its short life just the same.


The Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, in Venice is not a strict rectangle but instead opens wider at the basilica end, thus enhancing the perspective and creating the illusion that it is even longer than it is. The square is bordered by..."

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