POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION OF PUBLIC SPACES: CASE STUDIES OF ‘ITALIA’ SQUARE AND THE PYRAMID IN TIRANA

Abstract

Due to the cities’ development and population growth throughout the years, the design of effective public spaces has become a major urban concern. There is a great demand for people to have spaces within a city in order to socialize, relax, move freely, and enjoy being in a healthy environment. Therefore, research methods to evaluate the quality of such spaces are needed in order to increase their quality. One such method is post-occupancy evaluation, or POE. Through different means, such as direct observation or user feedback after the public space is occupied, it can prompt valuable information that can show what urban practices have worked and the reason for their success. On the other hand, it can also show what practices have not worked for that particular context and need to be improved on. This master thesis focuses on the post-occupancy evaluation of two well-known public spaces in Tirana, ‘Italia’ Square and the outdoor spaces of TUMO Center, or as more people know it, the Pyramid. First, a literature review is conducted on public spaces and what POE is in detail. Then, a deep analysis of both study cases is done, starting with researching the available information about the spaces, a study on different aspects of maps including functional analysis, and the transportation means close to both public spaces. After establishing the relationship with the surrounding urban context, an analysis focusing on the selected sites with the aim of establishing the existing physical elements is carried out. After that, the POE study is done, starting with on-site observation and behavioral mapping and finishing with a questionnaire answered by the users. All of these methods aim to find out the feedback on these case studies and make a comparison between the results. After analyzing the outcomes of the implemented iv research methods, it can be derived both public spaces are active spots and show positive feedback among users. Furthermore, this research emphasizes the positive areas of the public spaces e.g. socialization and connectivity, but also points out aspects that need improvement such as addition of lighting or comfortable sitting elements.