Perceptions, Planning and Principles of Public

Perception of public open spaces has a repercussion in the way it is used and also the way they are planned, provided, managed and maintained. This attributes to the state of public open spaces in the fast developing cities, where they are diminishing not only in quantity but they are deteriorating in quality. The research looks at the way public open spaces are dealt in theory and in practice through looking at their meanings, roles and characteristics (in literature review) and their provision (from a case study in Kosovo in Cape Town). The meanings, roles, characteristics and planning of public open spaces are embeded in the principles of sustainability and livability and their relationship. Sustainability for public open spaces is a broad concept which a common man finds difficult to comprehend whereas livability is more related to the daily living environment. However, livability builds the block for sustainability. Therefore, it is difficult to exclude either while studying public open spaces. The research highlights the principles of sustainability and livability from the meanings, roles, characteristics and planning of public open spaces to find out the links and gaps that are useful for the way public spaces are dealt. There is no single blueprint for a good public open space. It is dependent on every actor’