Public space in the city: methodological essay for its analysis and interpretation

Analyzing and interpreting the public space in a city is a complex mission. This task need to consider the phisical traits, its uses and socials meanings of those places, measuring them quantitatively and qualitatively. This article, after a brief approach to the concept of public space, develope an own methodology to study and interpret it, previously taking, as a test laboratory, a well-defined area of the city of Valladolid. In short, a model to evaluate the qualities of public space is defined through the calculation and representation of urban indicators and the neighborhood diagnosis with participation, which serves, in its application, as a mechanism to review -also to act and intervene- the relationship of citizens with the city (parts of the city).