Urban design as a bridge of cultural differences and mean of revitalization of degraded areas: a planning tool for intercultural spaces - the case of Afrikaanderplain Park

Abstract

The last few years the ongoing conflict in Syria has led thousands of people to leave their country and seek asylum in Europe in an attempt to improve their lives. The migration and the growing cultural diversity create new needs and demands in contemporary societies. This study focuses on public spaces in culturally diverse societies and more specifically focuses on how to design intercultural public spaces that meet the needs of contemporary societies. The article analyses the importance and role of public space in multicultural societies, concepts related to cultural diversity, interculturalism as an approach to deal with xenophobia and racism and then examples of intercultural public spaces. The main objective is to find out strategies and methods that lead to cultural inclusive public spaces, which simultaneously contribute to the development of the degraded areas as well as the creation of a design toolkit for intercultural public spaces.