Housing-Public Space Nexus Fostering Inclusive Urban Communities

This networking event explores the critical intersection between housing policies and public space design in creating sustainable and equitable urban environments. It will bring together urban planners, housing developers, public space designers, and community advocates to examine how residential developments can better connect with and enhance the quality of the public realm for spatial justice and community integration. The key aim is two-fold: first, to foster and champion cross-sector partnerships to demonstrate how quality public space can be fully integrated to enable inclusive communities; and second, to articulate tangible, transferable policy recommendations that treat housing and public space as interconnected systems, essential to achieving urban liveability and enhancing social cohesion. We will feature three key presentations: a case study from Rio de Janeiro sharing characteristics and methodologies for effective community-created public spaces in favelas; a case study from Beirut analysing community-driven housing and public space reconstruction efforts in the Karantina neighbourhood affected by the 2020 port explosion; a case study from Sierra Leone exploring the well-being of youth living in informal settlements through public space activation. In addition, a UN-Habitat representative will present an adaptable tiny house model designed for the African continent that emphasises integrated development of public spaces in neighbourhoods. These initiatives will be in dialogue with two public space experts for a discussion on the theoretical and practical foundations of the housing-public space nexus. Key discussion themes include: adaptive housing models that strengthen neighbourhood social fabric; co-design approaches involving residents in public space planning in informal settlements; post-disaster and post-conflict reconstruction strategies that rebuild both shelter and community spaces; innovative financing mechanisms that link housing provision with public amenities; and policy frameworks that ensure new developments contribute positively to existing public spaces rather than creating barriers or privatisation. These exchanges will ensure that participants can identify targeted opportunities for collaboration, share successful integration models from different socio-cultural contexts, and develop practical and actionable strategies for implementing housing-public space integration in diverse urban settings globally.