Identification of in-between spaces by patterns of use. A case study in SanSebastian

Laburpena

Currently our cities do not meet citizens’ needs for a full daily life, especially in terms of proximity spaces for socialization and care works. The COVID 19 health crisis has made this problem much more evident. For this reason, we assert that it is necessary to recover and create a network of in-between spaces between public and private spheres through urban regeneration actions, creating more cohesive communities. Historically, these spaces have proven to be important social catalysts and the most appropriate setting for collective care works. Therefore, we seek to identify the physical and social characteristics that characterize these spaces, so that we can detect existing ones and regenerate potential in-between spaces in urban fabrics around us. The communication analyzes the use patterns of potential in-between spaces located in the neighborhood of Benta Berri in Donostia. This analysis of use patterns will be carried out through several indicators. These are identified through the conclusions derived from a previous bibliographic analysis and are parameterized in this work where they are applied to the case study of Benta Berri, concluding the degree of in-between character of the urban spaces of this neighborhood. This work is part of a broader research whose objective is to identify the physical characteristics related to the adequate/inadequate functioning as in-between space of urban spaces, so that the degree of in-between character of the spaces of our neighborhoods can be improved; or even the physical and functional characteristics of these spaces can be replicated in the regeneration of urban fabrics where these spaces do not exist.