A parking meter, a bench, a railing, a pedestrian crosswalk. Just like the modern media and virtual public space is filled with information, the urban public space is full of things. The CITYBLOK exhibition documented the standardized objects and structures that for the past one hundred years have markedly influenced the character of public spaces and which we have become used to ignoring.

Meanwhile, we encounter them at every turn. Their presence, supported by technical arguments, seems to be obvious and necessary. As a physical reflection of legislation and technical standards, they fulfil specific requirements: They increase safety, make the inaccessible accessible, enable spending time outside… They fulfil their component tasks, but no systemic approach to them exists – a concept that would take into consideration the broader relationships. With each seemingly innocent object, there is also a host of associated, complex social issues.

In 2016, during the global UN Habitat conference, a new vision of approaching urban planning and public space in cities, the so-called New Urban Agenda was declared: “The vision rests in the concept of the “right to the city”, with reference to equal opportunity of use and enjoyment of cities and towns, striving to promote inclusiveness and to ensure that all inhabitants, as well as future generations, without discrimination of any kind, inhabit and produce fair, safe, accessible, resilient and sustainable cities.”

Are we ready to face the future challenges of the city, to make life here good? Or is it time to return responsibility we’ve given to buildings, regulations and standards to people? Answers to the questions posed by the exhibition were also sought through a series of accompanying discussions and lectures.