Urban design, public space and the dynamics of creative milieus: a photographic approach to Bairro Alto (Lisboa), Gracia (Barcelona) and Vila Madalena (São Paulo)

Abstract

Drawing on results from the research project Creatcity – A governance culture for the creative city: urban vitality and international networks, this paper explores the relation between urban design and creative dynamics in cultural districts. The authors focus on spatial conditions that sustain creative clusters and the vitality of “creative milieus,” analysing public space appropriation and production in three creativity-led territorial systems: Bairro Alto (Lisbon), Gracia (Barcelona), and Vila Madalena (São Paulo). More than one thousand photographs were examined across fifteen analytical dimensions, capturing material aspects, human appropriation, livability, and symbolic meanings of public spaces. The study highlights how urban morphology, design, and public space typologies influence vibrancy, conviviality, and attractiveness of creative activities. Findings point to governance challenges and sustainability issues, leading to policy-making guidelines for preserving these areas as vital creative centres.