Work

A Critical Review of the Literature on Privately Owned Public Spaces: From Intrinsic Critiques to Systematic Assessment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Since the 1960s, Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) has been studied as a significant development in urban space provision. Through a review of key studies (1980–2023), this paper traces how POPS scholarship has changed from fundamental critiques of privatization to evidence-based assessment of spatial practices. The analysis reveals three phases in the literature's development, demonstrating a shift from early concerns about intrinsic problems of private control to accepting POPS as a distinct type of public space requiring its systematic evaluation. The geographical expansion of research has explored how different cultural, institutional, and urban contexts shape the implementation of POPS and scholarly approaches to studying them.

Source: Journal of Planning Literature

DOI: 10.1177/08854122251400201

Authors: Mohammad Mohammadi, Quentin Stevens

Institutions: Delft University of Technology, RMIT University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Planning and Governance

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900