Reflexivity

(how to reflect and why it’s important): Urban redevelopment does not only restructure the city physically and economically but radically transforms the somatic and experiential landscape of places. While urban professionals work within a range of temporal, political and legal constraints, discussions in our Sensory Cities network suggested that reflecting on the sensory impact transforming urban spaces has important consequences for place attachments, sense of place and the socio-economic stratification of spaces. To ensure a ‘good quality’ of urban public space, accessible by many social groups and as a political arena for expression urban professionals need to reflect on how the senses operate in the public realm.