Public space — from streets and parks to buses and trains — has long been the cohesive force that brings cities together. Its very nature creates an overlap of socioeconomic, racial and ideological divides, drawing people unexpectedly towards each other despite their potentially vast differences. Now, in a time of near-inescapable ancillary virtual spaces and widened societal divisions, the importance of true public space cannot be undersold.

Hear from Nicholas de Monchaux, the new head of the Department of Architecture at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, as he expounds on the significance of public space in shaping better civic health and a more equitable city.