Taking into account usage and temporalities in the urban planning of public squares in Algiers: Analysis and propositions
Cities are facing the acceleration and the multiplicity of temporalities. They affect the use of public places, which changes and becomes intense or conflictual throughout the day. The observation of these changes in usage is of interest to urban studies, as it confronts social practices and the development of public squares. The latter has a role in meeting users’ expectations. This article analyzes the uses of three central public squares in Algiers, Algeria, considering daily temporalities, and verifies if the current and projected urban planning takes into account the changes in usage. The method of analysis combines snapshots to observe users and usages throughout the day, and a questionnaire for urban planners. The results analysis allows us to suggest improvements for the urban planning of public squares regarding changes in usage.