The characteristics to consider in municipal shared spaces

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is through collaboration with practitioners to identify key characteristics of municipal shared spaces and, based on these, developing a guide for establishing a shared space in a municipal real-estate portfolio. Design/methodology/approach This paper builds on existing theory on the subject of shared space as well as the practical experience of professionals within the fields of property management, space management and facilities management. The guide presented is the result of data collected through case studies, interviews, surveys and literature reviews. This knowledge is combined with data collected through a workshop with practitioners from municipalities and the private sector, to provide a final guide that is directly applicable as a tool for working with shared space as a part of a property management strategy. Findings The result presented is a guide to establishing a shared space in a municipal real-estate portfolio, created in collaboration between researchers and practitioners. It provides an introduction to the topic and outlines a number of tasks that must be completed in different parts of a project, thereby providing a tool which practitioners can use to realise shared space as a strategy in the context of public real-estate management. Originality/value The guide presented is a first in connecting theory with practical application and through collaboration between researchers and practitioners, creating a tool to be used when working with shared space in a municipal real-estate portfolio.