Contemporary Public Space - Theory and Method

Name, title and affiliation
Shelley Smith (ssmi@aod.aau.dk)
Ph.d. architect MAA, BAID, research fellow
Center for Public Space Research, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark

Short Biography
Shelley Smith is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Architecture and Design, Department of Urban Design, at Aalborg University. Following a B.A.A. in Design from Ryerson University in Toronto, and a Bachelor and Masters in Architecture from The Aarhus School of Architecture, Shelley received a Ph.D. in architecture in 2003, specialising in large-scale spaces. She has previously taught and researched at The Aarhus School of Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy of the Arts, School of Architecture, Center for Public Space Research in Denmark, and Humber College, Institute of Technology in Canada. Research interests include urban public space, the perception and experience of contemporary urbanity, urban transformation and airports.

Abstract
The goal of the project, Contemporary Public Space - Theory and Method, at The Center for Public Space Research, has as its goal to map the theoretical territory of contemporary public space with the intention of providing a basis from which to discuss the concept of public space in a contemporary architectural and urban context – specifically as it relates to theory and method, to broaden the discussion of the concept of public space to include examples that belong to contemporary urban form and life, and to identify theoretical and methodological positions that qualify and develop public space research at the centre.