Public Spaces

Pa entered the law to avoid the coal mines and the tedium of his father’s life. It suited him well, given his easy way with people and penchant for solving problems. Within a few years of earning his license he was well established, making a decent living and supporting his young family. As time went on, his client base grew, as did his areas of interest. He felt especially drawn to public life and public works, and the needs of the larger community.

When I asked Pa how he’d like to spend the day, he said he‘d like to explore the public spaces where people congregate, away from work and home. So we did, beginning with the subterranean.

Riding the escalator, Pa was awestruck by the design, engineering and labor that went into the elaborate underground system.

But soon enough the art caught his eye. The mosaics and tile work,

the life size figures.

It pleased him that they were available to everyone, not just the patrons of the Gulbenkian.

Once we arrived at the old city, the streets drew his attention - how they delight the eye, while accommodating the needs of pedestrians

and public transport.

After some time we happened on a large plaza which both delighted and disturbed Pa.

He liked its vastness but the monument to the victor of some past war was unsettling .

So we moved on the water front and the welcoming space leading up to it.

As the afternoon waned, we found ourselves in a different neighborhood and a different space where friends congregate

and the pigeons come home to roost.