Essai de construction d’une grille d’évaluation de la qualité des places publiques à travers le vécu des usagers. Cas de trois places à Sétif, Algérie.

Abstract

Our research revolves around the question of experience s qualities at public squares in an Algerian context. The review of urban literature reveals that it exists a little research which provides tools to assess the quality of public squares. Based on literature and empirical work, our research aims to provide an evaluation grid for the quality of public squares through the experience of users. Moreover, we are observing how public squares are manufactured as the result of the built environment. Besides, there is a growing will and a resurgence for the use of old and new public spaces in our cities, streets, squares, parks and many other public spaces in the city. Furthermore, public squares are an important part of these public spaces because they are considered as the most important symbols of public life. However, the degree of attractiveness is not the same for all which means that some squares are crowded, providing particularly distinctive atmospheres and others are empty spaces. We examined three public squares in Sétif downtown: place Ain Elfouara; place Ibnbadis, place Saal Bouzid, which conditions and the lively and friendly character all the year make them representative and successful reference squares. This Squares deserves to be studied to understand and distinguish reasons for such success. By placing the user at the center of our approach which consists of questioning users about their lived experiences based on commented routes. That help for exploring public spaces appeals to the spatial, sensory, affective, aesthetic, and social solicitations of the environment. At the end of this research, we tried to determine the most expressed aspects of the qualities of public squares and to draw guidelines for the design of future more lively and lively squares. Finally, we tried to draw up an evaluation grid for the quality of public squares, according to tangible quality variables.