Perceiving Design: Shaping Safer Public Spaces for Women

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of urban design on women's perceptions of safety and the strategies needed to build safe spaces in cities. Urban design has the potential to play a dominant role in transforming public spaces in cities. This research explores this role and its meaning using case studies from Sweden, South Africa, and Mexico to better understand varying contexts, identify approaches, parameters, and design principles in public spaces, and identify strategies employed that contribute to women's perceptions of safety in cities. This research recognizes the importance of cultural differences, which can affect how women’s safety is defined and what is being done to guarantee it. The research focuses mainly on the public urban realm. The findings are translated into guidelines and offer recommendations to create secure and inclusive public spaces for all, particularly women.