Filling the Gaps: Reimagining Public Space as a Continuum

There is a special joy found in the gaps of time and space along the street. Yet, these moments are rapidly disappearing from the urban fabric. Who owns public space? To address this question, Filling the Gaps reflects on the agency of the street and the different actors that come into play. How can the notion of public and private be reconceptualized? This thesis discovers the missed opportunities for interactions with and within the city by observing Ottawa's street life. How can the street be transformed from a space of passage alone to a space for connection and human interaction? Four dismissed and unseen urban gaps are chosen to explore the possibilities of publicness along the street. How can a continuum streetscape for public life emerge within the city? Through tactical interventions and urban storytelling, the project reimagines a process where urban dwellers renegotiate and extend the public realm's boundaries.