A ground breaking publication which attempts to identify what makes successful public space. The book is divided into three sections with detailed good practice guidance backed up by in-depth case study examples from a range of European and British towns. The first section gives some background on urban street life - past, present and future. There is a review of theoretical and practical literature and a discussion of the concepts and principles of liveable streets and squares. The second section concentrates on studying the European experience and carefully selected and research examples. The final section provides advice and good practice covering issues such as striking a balance between town centres and traffic, how pedestrians behave, criteria for successful urban space, and creating sociable streets. This book gives new insights into how to make urban space work.