Designing a feminist city

Public libraries as a women’s space

Bibliographic Data

ID8945581
AuthorsMelike Peterson (0000-0003-2679-2475, University of Bremen, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume150
Pages103971-103971
Publication date2024-02-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeoforum (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7185 • E-ISSN: 1872-9398
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.geoforum.2024.103971
OpenAlexW4391906164
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited45

Public libraries are crucial everyday spaces for many women. Different spatial arrangements and design decisions put in place here make it possible to accommodate and support women’s various activities and needs of libraries as micro urban spaces. Yet, in many cities, the built environment continues to reflect outdated gender roles, which makes it important to better understand what women find impactful design elements of public spaces like libraries. By presenting findings from women who use three different public libraries in Bremen, Germany, this paper highlights that micro design elements can reduce symbolic and felt barriers to how women perceive and use these spaces, and the public city by extension. Viewing public libraries through the eyes of some women, then, shifts attention to women’s needs and requirements of public spaces and their everyday spatial experiences, thereby contributing to a more feminist and just city

Architectural engineering · Economic growth · Economics · Media studies · Political science · Public space · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · Computer Science · Engineering · Gender Studies · Latin American and Latino Studies · Library Science and Administration

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access