The Centre on Africa Public Spaces (CAPS) is driven by the premise that public space should be centred as a vital part of making cities, societies and communities, as well as Africa’s developmental agenda, as the nature of space on the African continent is evolving due to growing levels of migration, rapid urbanization and climate change. For many African cities, these contemporary challenges are further layered and deeply inflected upon by many deep-rooted challenges developing out of an older colonial order of space and society.
There is a recognition of the current limitations of both the discourse and making of public space which is often considered too narrowly, delimited to spaces of relaxation and recreation, and which do not necessarily reflect the reality, diverse needs and priorities of urban residents. There is a need to address the thinking and making of public space in Africa, to make sense of systematic exclusions, complexities and interconnected ways in which public space impacts the life of urban residents.
CAPS is a Pan African peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange hub focusing on public spaces.
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