Modalities of Urban Space

Space is generally regarded as one of the key concepts in urban design and planning. Theoretical approaches in the field of design have, however, remained fragmentary, often concentrating on only one or two aspects of space (such as visual quality or functional requirements) and excluding others (such as social, cultural and political aspects of space). Within the fields of planning theory, geography and urban sociology, on the other hand, there is much more theorizing which, however, often remains too abstract to offer any real guidance to spatial practitioners. This article will work out a new theoretical approach to urban space informed by modal logic. In short, urban space is considered in terms of possibilities, that is, the activities that are opened up for the human agent and the possibilities of change, as well as the elements of trust and fear that will be perceived and conceived.