No abstract

With the first step people take out of their homes, they enter public territory. One of the significant visions for urban planners producing spaces for public life is creating a feeling of comfort for each urban dweller in this wide territory of many. Successful public spaces can only be produced through informed planning and understanding the needs of all urban dwellers. In an attempt to understand the needs of one group of urban dwellers, Middle Eastern women in Greater Brisbane, this study investigates their everyday experiences of public spaces in Greater Brisbane and explores the suitability of available public spaces for this group.The aim of this study is to answer questions about the roles that urban spaces play in the daily lives of migrant women to find ways of making better connections between their everyday experience as migrants and public spaces as a constituent element of social life. To introduce a platform in which the voice of this minority group could be heard this study is an attempt to explore and understand the role and structure of urban spaces from three different angles: the meaning of public and private space, and relationships between the two spaces; diversity and migration and the impact of these on the everyday life of migrant people (especially on their use of public space); and women and their needs and expectations for urban spaces. These three different themes, in addition to the characteristics of Australian society and cities, could describe the main question of this research: how can the experiences of Middle Eastern migrant women using public spaces inform the planning and design of such spaces?Phenomenology is the research approach adopted in this study. A Phenomenological approach is appropriate when the research question requires an intimate awareness and deep understanding of how humans experience a situation. Based on data collected through semistructured in-depth interviews with twenty Middle Eastern women, and with the assist of NVivo software and Phenomenological approach (Moustakas' modification of the Van Kaam model), twelve themes were identified that address the way this group of urban dwellers experience the built and natural environment.Aside from an in-depth understanding of the urban experience for Middle Eastern women, the findings from this study recognises and understands how minority groups/migrants experience urban settings presenting possible ways planning disciplines could better respond to the needs and expectations of these urban dwellers. The research findings presented in this study contribute to planning involving Middle Eastern populations in multicultural settings and show how gender, social construct, ethnic composition, religious beliefs, and lifestyle define and change the ways in ii which urban spaces are experienced and used by these urban dwellers. Subsequently these findings emphasize the role of urban specialists, particularly urban planners, in design and production of inclusive urban spaces that are suitable for use by multicult...