At the center of ongoing protests and uproar in the Middle East, iconic and historical public spaces hold political clout.
With attention often directed towards the influence of social networking, one cannot dismiss the influence public areas hold. From Egypt, to Tunisia, to Syria, protesters have taken to the streets to voice their opposition.
"the uprisings in the Middle East has largely been overshadowed by the role that social networking played in fomenting rebellion. For all the praise that has rightly been lavished upon the Arab world's youthful revolutionaries, one must not forget the gray, old spaces where they massed."
According to Colombia University Professor of Architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti, governments recognize public space as a threat,
"You need to actually denigrate the public space to denigrate the meaning of the movement."
Read the full story: Square Roots: How Public Spaces Helped Mold the Arab Spring
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Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
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